The ACC is arguably the best basketball conference in the country with 15 storied programs. Four of the top 10 teams in the nation are from the ACC, and teams aren't that successful without great players. Here are the top five that are battling it out for Conference Player of the Year:
Jahlil Okafor - 6’11″, 272 lbs, C – Fr, Duke
Stats: 18.6 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 1.6 bpg
Okafor is undoubtedly the top player in the country, and many think he’s a better prospect than Andrew Wiggins. He has a fully developed post game, quick feet, soft hands, and runs the floor well. Okafor has also developed into a solid defender at Duke, and he seems destined to be the next great NBA big man.
Justin Anderson – 6’6″, 227 lbs, SG – Jr., Virginia
Stats: 14.1 ppg, 4.3 rpg
Anderson is the go-to guy for the No. 2 team in the country, and he’s also one of Virginia’s best defenders. He’s shooting 53.6 percent from the field and 56.3 percent from three, making him one of the most efficient offensive players in the nation. Anderson is crafty and can create his own shot, but he never forces it. He plays ideal team ball and has a high basketball IQ.
Montrezl Harrell, 6’8″, 230 lbs, PF/C – Jr., Louisville
Stats: 14.9 ppg, 9.2 rpg
Harrell has been dominant against lesser competition, yet has struggled against the better teams Louisville has played. He’s a defensive and rebounding menace – just don’t expect him to become an offensive force.
Jerian Grant – 6’5″, 202 lbs, PG/SG – Sr., Notre Dame
Stats: 16.8 ppg, 6.4 apg
Grant was declared academically ineligible for the second semester last season, and that was the biggest reason for the Irish’s collapse in their inaugural year in the ACC. Now that he’s back, Notre Dame is ranked No. 12 in the country. Grant is someone to keep an eye on this year – if he keeps playing well, the Irish could finish atop the conference.
Marcus Paige - 6'1", 175 lbs, PG - North Carolina
Stats: 13.5 ppg, 4.1 apg
Paige is the guy who makes UNC's offense run and is the lifeblood of the Tar Heels. He's hit almost as many three's as the rest of his team combined, and he's charged with making plays for his teammates. Paige isn't having the same success he had last year or lived up to his preseason first team All-American expectations, but he's still playing well and is the engine that drives the No. 15 team in the country.
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