The early signing period just means one thing - the next wave of elite college talent is coming to the league. It is a regular as leaf blowers in November in the geographic area of the ACC. Let's dive into the conference from top to bottom.

Meet the newcomers.  

TOP DOG: Mackenzie Mgbako, Duke

Mackenzie Mgbako is the best pro prospect in the ACC’s 2023 class. Point blank, period. 

The New Jersey forward is the crown jewel of Duke’s elite group, and he should be sending Cameron Indoor into craziness right off the rip. 

At 6-foot-8, he’ll provide floor-spacing with his ability to shoot the 3-ball, and he’s a high-level mid-range scorer. Look out, Syracuse. His shot making is what will see him plenty of run early, but his defensive switch-ability could make him a valuable closer for Jon Scheyer when crunch time comes. 

TOP CLASS: Duke

Let’s switch things up a bit by talking about Duke. I don’t know about you, but I think the Blue Devils have a sneaky-good class that isn’t being talked about enough. 

One of the strengths of this plucky group is their backcourt. Jared McCain and Caleb Foster are two of the better guards in this class, and they’re emblematic of plenty of guys who have been through Cameron Indoor in the past. 

They’re going to draw the ire of opposing fan bases because that’s what happens when you’re a Duke guard, but they’re going to be so good. What I love about these guys is that I don’t necessarily project them as one-and-done guys, so they could be terrorizing the ACC for some time. 

At some point, I expect Jared McCain to lead the ACC in scoring. I’ll sign my name by that. Josh Tec. There, it’s signed, sealed and delivered. Mackenzie Mgbako is the best pro prospect in the ACC’s 2023 class. Point blank, period. 

The New Jersey forward is the crown jewel of Duke’s elite group, and he should be sending Cameron Indoor into craziness right off the rip. 

At 6-foot-8, he’ll provide floor-spacing with his ability to shoot the 3-ball, and he’s a high-level mid-range scorer. Look out, Syracuse. His shot making is what will see him plenty of run early, but his defensive switchability could make him a valuable closer for Jon Scheyer when crunch time comes. 

The first-time head coach currently has the No.1 recruiting class in the nation. It’s built on a mixture of depth and talent. Duke has four top-20 guys, and all five of members of their 2023 class are in HoopSeen’s top-50. 

The Blue Devils aren’t going anywhere, folks. This class is nasty. Just nasty. 

 

THREE CLASSES I LOVE

1. North Carolina: The Tarheels have momentum coming off of a run to the national championship game, and they are among the favorites to win it all this year. To add to their current success, they have a top-ten class coming into Chapel Hill in 2023. North Carolina has historical success with guards from the north east, and they have another good one in Simeon Wilcher. We know there are traits that a Carolina big needs to have, and Zayden High checks those boxes. The rim-running Texan fits that Carolina blue well. It’s only a two-man class right now, but we love those two guys.
2. Louisville: The recruiting cloud has blown away, and the Cardinals are now free to operate with a semblance of normalcy. They’re bringing in Louisville native Kaleb Glenn and Michigan wing Curtis Williams, and they may not be done yet. Kenny Payne and company have been highly-regarded on the recruiting trail, and this class—as currently constructed—is one that can get the program trending back in the right direction.
3. Virginia Tech: We love the gaudy classes like the one Duke’s bringing in. The star power and talent is tantalizing. However, we also love when a coach emphasizes getting players that fit him and his program. That’s what Mike Young has a typical Mike Young class coming to Blacksburg. The guard duo of Brandon Rechsteiner and Jaydon Young should be payers who develop in that system and blossom into the kinds of winners that we’ve come to expect from guys who go through Young’s system. 

 

THE OUTSIDE OF THE TOP 100 PLAYER THAT I LOVE

Jayden Hastings out of Orlando, FL is a name that we’re very familiar with here at HoopSeen HQ. We’ve gotten to see the 6-foot-9 forward plenty, and we love the potential he’s bringing to Boston College. Hastings is a high-level shot blocker. I mean, he can be a league leader in that regard during his time in the ACC. In discussions behind the scenes, we’ve said that Earl Grant is building a winner in Boston, and landing a guy like Hastings was one of the catalysts behind that thought. 

 

BEST FRONTCOURT

Duke is bringing in a unique frontcourt. They don’t have any traditional bigs. There’s no imposing 6-foot-10 guy. There are no footers coming to Cameron. However, the guys that will be holding down the frontcourt for the Blue Devils fit the current game. 

Mackenzie Mgbako is a swiatchable 6-foot-8 forward who can shoot it, create with the ball in his hands and defend multiple positions. Then, TJ adds to that with more shooting from the forward spot. Those guys creating space will not only prove to be mismatches for opponents, but it will space the floor for PF Sean Stewart. 

If you’ve ever been around evaluators during a Sean Stewart game, you’ve probably heard all kinds of praise bandied in his direction for good reason. The guy has an elite motor and is one of the most competitive players in the class. He embraces the dirty work whether that means rebounding, protecting the rim, laying out for loose balls, or whatever else. Stewart is low-maintenance and makes plays happen via his effort. He’s going to be a fan favorite in Durham. You can count on that. 

 

BEST BACKCOURT 

Let’s switch things up a bit by talking about Duke. I don’t know about you, but I think the Blue Devils have a sneaky-good class that isn’t being talked about enough. 

One of the strengths of this plucky group is their backcourt. Jared McCain and Caleb Foster are two of the better guards in this class, and they’re emblematic of plenty of guys who have been through Cameron Indoor in the past. 

They’re going to draw the ire of opposing fan bases because that’s what happens when you’re a Duke guard, but they’re going to be so good. What I love about these guys is that I don’t necessarily project them as one-and-done guys, so they could be terrorizing the ACC for some time. 

At some point, I expect Jared McCain to lead the ACC in scoring. I’ll sign my name by that. Josh Tec. There, it’s signed, sealed and delivered. 

 

HEY, I HAVE A HOOPSEEN CHAPTER 

One of the best parts about this business is watching a player’s rise, and at HoopSeen, we had a front row seat for Brandon Rechsteiner’s ascent. The Virginia Tech signee was the MVP of the 2022 HoopSeen Association and has so many chapters of his story on the HoopSeen platform, we might just need to create a library for him alone. 

To honor his MVP-caliber summer, Justin Young wrote this about Rechsteiner:

“What else can we say about the Atlanta All-Stars point guard that we haven’t already said? He has been an absolute killer on our platform for a number of years and only leveled up along the way.

Rechsteiner was the best shooter we saw all season long, regardless of league or affiliation. He was clutch from deep and was a force to be reckoned with on the perimeter. If the shot was open, the ball barely touched the net. 

His recruitment skyrocketed after a big spring, earning offers from all of the mid-major powers. When June hit, his recruitment took on a high-major flavor. From there, Rechsteiner listened to a lot of pitches from a number of programs from the Power 5 level. Ultimately, he chose Virginia Tech. Coach Mike Young and his staff are no strangers to finding players on the HoopSeen platform. The Etowah (GA) HS product is a perfect fit for the Hokies head man and his style of play. 

The toughness, work ethic and mindset that Rechsteiner plays with should make him a fan favorite in Blacksburg.”

 

THE THREE THINGS I LIKE THE MOST 

I like the fit for North Carolina with AZ Compass Prep big man Zayden High. 

Michael Nwoko gives Miami one of the biggest, strongest and toughest players in the incoming high school players. He’s a manchild at 6-foot-9, 240-pounds. 

Look, the ACC hasn’t been the juggernaut that it used to be, and part of the reason behind that is that traditional powers like Louisville have been down. The path back to success for the Cadinals could start in this class with Louisville local Kaleb Glenn. The Cardinals on their first national championship behind Darrell Griffith, a Louisville local, so Glenn’s signing could portend better days in the Ville. 

CONFERENCE SUPERLATIVES

TOP PG: Jared McCain, Duke
TOP SG: Simeon Wilcher, North Carolina
TOP SF: Mackenzie Mgbako, Duke
TOP PF: Sean Stewart, Duke
TOP C: Blake Buchanan, VirginiaBlake Buchanan, Virginia
TOP CLASS: Duke
TOP SLEEPER: Blake Buchanan, Virginia
TOP SHOOTER: Brandon Rechsteiner, Virginia Tech
TOP SCORER: Jared McCain, Duke
TOP REBOUNDER: Sean Stewart, Duke
TOP SHOT-BLOCKER: Jayden Hastings, Boston College
TOP PRO PROSPECT: Mackenzie Mgbako, Duke

Ranking the classes (per HoopSeen algorithm)

1. Duke
2. North Carolina
3. Florida State
4. Louisville
5. Virginia
6. Notre Dame
7. Pittsburgh
8. NC State
9. Virginia Tech
10. Boston College
11. Miami
12. Georgia Tech
13. Wake Forest
14. Clemson