How Should North Carolina be Viewed in the ACC Race

It has only been nine games, and conference play will not start until late December. But the ACC seems to be shaping into a potential three-horse race. Those teams include the Duke Blue Devils, Louisville Cardinals and North Carolina Tar Heels.

Again, several things have yet to be seen; so much can unfold in the coming months, but each of these three teams are ranked inside the top 15.

We will learn a lot more about each of these teams when they begin to face legitimate competition on a weekly basis. With ACC play right around the corner, let's take at how North Carolina measures up to Duke and Louisville.

Comparing the Tar Heels to Top ACC Teams

Dec 2, 2025; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis calls out a play during the first half against the Kentucky Wildcats at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Each of these teams portrays different roster constructions, strengths, and weak points. Some of these aspects can be exploited or highlighted depending on specific matchups. Here is a deeper analysis of how the three teams compare.

Led by a Superstar Freshman

Each of these teams landed a top-flight freshman in the 2025 recruitment class, and each player could potentially be selected in the top-10 in the upcoming 2026 NBA Draft. Duke signed Cameron Boozer, who is the No. 3 player in the class. Louisville signed Mikel Brown Jr., who is the No. 6 player in the class. North Carolina signed Caleb Wilson, who is the No. 8 player in the class.

In addition, these players are within the top three in their respective positions, with Boozer as the No. 1 power forward, Caleb Wilson as the No. 3 power forward, and Brown as the No. 2 point guard.

Dec 7, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) with the ball as Georgetown Hoyas forward Isaiah Abraham (7) defends in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Here are each player's averages this season through at least nine games:

Boozer: 23.0 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 3.8 assists, with a 55.9 field goal percentage

Brown Jr.: 16.7 points, 5.3 assists, and 3.2 rebounds, with a 38.5 field goal percentage

Wilson: 19.3 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 2.4 assists, with a 53.2 field goal percentage

Strengths and Weaknesses

Nov 24, 2025; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Louisville Cardinals guard Mikel Brown Jr. (0) dribbles against Eastern Michigan Eagles guard Jon Sanders (10) during the second half at KFC Yum! Center. Louisville defeated Eastern Michigan 87-46. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images | Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

Duke: With Boozer as the main focal point, the Blue Devils have assembled a strong three-point shooting cast around the 6-foot-9, 249-pound forward, including two players who each knock down at least 40.6 percent of their shots from beyond the arc.

Louisville: Built around the elite guard tandem of Brown Jr. and Ryan Conwell, both of whom score at least 15 points per game.

North Carolina: A great defensive and rebounding team, which revolves around its frontcourt of Wilson and Henri Veesaar to open up the offense.

Overall Analysis

Nov 27, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) looks to pass the ball against Arkansas Razorbacks during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

All three of these teams possess unique qualities that could cause each other problems when they face each other this season. At the moment, Duke has to be viewed as the best team of the trio, as it is currently undefeated and does not have a glaring weakness.

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