RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) – With the return of college basketball around the corner, the preseason polls are starting to come out, and a couple of teams based out of the Triangle area once again find themselves among the best in the nation.
On Monday, the first Associated Press Top 25 poll was released ahead of the 2024-25 season, and two schools in North Carolina both ranked in the top 10.
The Duke Blue Devils opened at No. 7 in the initial rankings, while the North Carolina Tar Heels popped up at the No. 9 spot.
No other Atlantic Coast Conference teams made the preseason poll.
Following an Elite Eight appearance last year, the Blue Devils brought in the top-ranked recruiting class in the country, highlighted by No. 1 overall recruit Cooper Flagg and projected top-five 2025 NBA Draft pick Khaman Maluach.
Meanwhile, Duke also returns veterans Tyrese Proctor and Caleb Foster, as well as adds incoming transfers Sion James (Tulane), Maliq Brown (Syracuse), Mason Gillis (Purdue) and Cameron Sheffield (Rice), providing a solid mixture of talent and experience for Jon Scheyer and his coaching staff.
For the Tar Heels, UNC head coach Hubert Davis and his squad enter this season with high expectations of their own, retaining several pieces from a team that earned the ACC regular season title as well as a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Notable players coming back to Chapel Hill include the likes of All-American guard RJ Davis and backcourt teammates Seth Trimble and Elliot Cadeau.
Additionally, UNC welcomes a top 10 recruiting class and two additions from the transfer portal with Ven-Allen Lubin (Vanderbilt) and Cade Tyson (Belmont).
Kansas sits at the No. 1 ranking in the preseason poll, followed by Alabama, UConn, Houston and Iowa State to round out the remainder of the top five.
Duke tips off the 2024-25 season at home on Nov. 4 against Maine, while UNC begins the year on the same day in a matchup with Elon.
Preseason AP Top 25 Poll
| Rank | Team | Points |
| 1. | Kansas Jayhawks | 1449 |
| 2. | Alabama Crimson Tide | 1428 |
| 3. | UConn Huskies | 1345 |
| 4. | Houston Cougars | 1343 |
| 5. | Iowa State Cyclones | 1177 |
| 6. | Gonzaga Bulldogs | 1157 |
| 7. | Duke Blue Devils | 1154 |
| 8. | Baylor Bears | 1109 |
| 9. | North Carolina Tar Heels | 1037 |
| 10. | Arizona Wildcats | 905 |
| 11. | Auburn Tigers | 901 |
| 12. | Tennessee Volunteers | 775 |
| 13. | Texas A&M Aggies | 737 |
| 14. | Purdue Boilermakers | 678 |
| 15. | Creighton Bluejays | 631 |
| 16. | Arkansas Razorbacks | 625 |
| 17. | Indiana Hoosiers | 492 |
| 18. | Marquette Golden Eagles | 484 |
| 19. | Texas Longhorns | 332 |
| 20. | Cincinnati Bearcats | 271 |
| 21. | Florida Gators | 249 |
| 22. | UCLA Bruins | 210 |
| 23. | Kentucky Wildcats | 191 |
| 24. | Ole Miss Rebels | 132 |
| 25. | Rutgers Scarlet Knights | 102 |