Stanford got 267 points from 48 media voters in the ACC men's basketball preseason poll, good for 13th place. That put the Cardinal ahead of Wake Forest (234), Cal (225), Notre Dame (153), Boston College (150) and Georgia Tech (119), and behind Pitt (323). Duke was picked first with 45 of 48 first-place votes. No Stanford player made the preseason All-ACC first or second team.
Life after Okorie
Stanford went 20-13 overall and 9-9 in the ACC last season. Freshman point guard Ebuka Okorie then went 16th overall in the NBA Draft to the Detroit Pistons. Cardinal Sports Report expects senior big man Aidan Cammann and freshman guard Julius Price to play major roles. It also lists Anthony Batson, Elias Obenyah and Christian Bliss among a group of bigger, more athletic guards. Stanford has not made the NCAA Tournament since 2014.
Across the bay
Cal was picked 15th. Virginia forward Thijs De Ridder was voted Preseason Player of the Year, and Duke freshman Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje was Preseason Rookie of the Year.
When it starts
According to the ACC Sports Journal, 13 ACC teams open on Nov. 2 and the other four on Nov. 3. Conference play starts Dec. 29.