Where UNC basketball ranks in ESPN’s updated early rankings

The 2024-25 college basketball season is still months away but the excitement continues to build for the new campaign. And for Hubert Davis and the North Carolina Tar Heels, they are hoping to avenge a loss in the Sweet 16 and get back to a Final Four.

North Carolina lost some talent from last season’s squad which won the ACC regular season title. Armando Bacot, Cormac Ryan, and Harrison Ingram are three starters who won’t return. They also lost a few bench players as well.

But they do return the ACC Player of the Year in RJ Davis as well as welcome in a three-man 2024 recruiting class and a transfer class. So where do the Tar Heels sit in the preseason rankings?

ESPN has updated its way-too-early top 25 and the Tar Heels cracked the list at No. 10:

RJ Davis made official his return to Chapel Hill for his final season, which gives the Tar Heels a preseason first-team All-American and arguably the Wooden Award favorite. The perimeter group was finalized when Belmont transfer Cade Tyson, a 46.5% 3-point shooter, committed. Hubert Davis clearly made getting a true 5-man a priority in the portal, and after missing on a few of his top targets, the Tar Heels ultimately landed Vanderbilt transfer Ven-Allen Lubin.

Projected starting lineup

Elliot Cadeau (7.3 PPG)
RJ Davis (21.2 PPG)
Ian Jackson (No. 7 in ESPN 100)
Cade Tyson (16.2 PPG at Belmont)
Ven-Allen Lubin (12.3 PPG)

The Tar Heels do have some questions that need to be answered and will look to replace the production of three lost starters. Will they be able to shoot well from the perimeter this year? Do they have a legit center that can replace Armando Bacot?

All of that will be keys to success for the program.