Elite ACC basketball teams for 2025: Are the Louisville Cardinals the favorite?

The ACC will have some stars representing it. Notre Dame, North Carolina, and North Carolina State have all had successful offseasons and added four or five stars from the 2025 class or the transfer portal. The ACC is expected to be a top conference next year after a down season last year.

While many teams will compete in the ACC and be on the bubble for the NCAA Tournament, the conference will be dominated by these two elite programs. When considering the ACC and the 2025-26 season, these two teams are clearly in the elite category; it is up in the air who is the favorite.

So, here are the two clear favorites to win the ACC Title next season.

Elite ACC basketball teams for 2025: Are the Louisville Cardinals the favorite?

Louisville Cardinals

Louisville basketball currently has the fourth-best odds of winning the 2026 NCAA Tournament and the second-best odds of winning the ACC Title. The Cardinals have one of the most explosive and deepest rosters in the nation, as Pat Kelsey built a lethal 3-point shooting roster. Louisville has the third-best transfer portal ranking as they earned 5-star Adrian Wooley's commitment, along with two 4-stars in Isaac McKneely and Ryan Conwell. All three guards shot over 42 percent from deep last season and splashed at least 70 3-pointers. Joining this elite transfer class is the No. 1-ranked point guard in the 2025 class and consensus 5-star Mikel Brown Jr. The Cardinals are expected to have the best backcourt in the nation, and their frontcourt should be much improved from last season. They will see key players return in J'Vonne Hadley and Kasean Pryor, and earn 4-star and top 25 players in the class of 2025, with Sananda Fru's commitment.

Kelsey built one of the best squads in recent Cardinals history, and this team has its eyes set on making history by winning the program's first ACC Title and first NCAA Tournament title since 2013.

Duke Blue Devils

The Duke Blue Devils have high expectations for next season and have goals to take the next step and win it all despite losing key players from last season's Final Four run. The Blue Devils lost future No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg, but they have the best incoming first-year class as they earned three 5-star and two 4-star commitments. Duke has the best odds to win the NCAA Tournament and ACC Title next season, but some still favor the Cardinals because of Kelsey's elite transfer class. Jon Scheyer and the Duke Blue Devils have done a tremendous job of recruiting at an elite level, and if the first-year student they brought in can live up to their ratings and potential, then Duke vs. Louisville will be must-watch TV.

The Boozer twins will lead Duke. Cameron Boozer is ranked the third-best overall prospect in 2025, and Cayden is ranked No. 23. Both were McDonald's All-Americans and will be joined by 5-star Nikolas Khamenia and Dame Sarr. The Blue Devils' key returning players include Caleb Foster, Isaiah Evans, Maliq Brown, Patrick Ngongba, and Darren Harris