Insider Says Louisville Could Be the Biggest Threat to Duke’s ACC Crown

Insider Says Louisville Could Be the Biggest Threat to Duke’s ACC Crown

For much of the offseason, the narrative surrounding ACC basketball has been simple: Duke is the team to beat. Head coach Jon Scheyer, fresh off an ACC regular season and tournament championship, reloaded his roster after losing his entire starting five from last year’s Final Four run. With five-star phenom Cameron Boozer leading the charge, the Blue Devils are stacked with young talent and will almost certainly open the 2025–26 season as the conference favorite.

But not everyone is ready to crown Duke just yet.

College basketball insider Jon Rothstein believes there’s another team lurking in the shadows  one that has the balance, depth, and shooting to make life miserable for Scheyer’s squad. His pick? Louisville.

Louisville’s Case to Challenge Duke

“I don’t know if there’s a team in the sport that bolstered its perimeter like Louisville did,” Rothstein said recently. “And you have to start with five-star freshman Mikel Brown. Looking at the way this roster was constructed, I love the shooting that Louisville surrounded Brown with. There is nothing but shooters around Louisville…Louisville, on paper, looks like a team that can challenge Duke for an ACC regular season title and be a top-16 protected seed in the NCAA Tournament.”

That endorsement carries weight. Louisville isn’t just a feel-good story  they’re a roster built with precision. Head coach Pat Kelsey knew what he needed to compete with Duke’s athleticism and skill: a dynamic point guard and a barrage of perimeter shooting.

He got both.

Meet the New-Look Cardinals

• Mikel Brown (5-star freshman, No. 1 PG in the 2025 class): A lightning-quick floor general with elite vision and scoring ability, Brown is projected to be one of the most impactful rookies in the country.
• Ryan Conwell (transfer from Xavier): Averaged 16.5 points per game last season and brings proven scoring to the wing.
• Adrian Wooley (transfer from Kennesaw State): A flamethrower who averaged 18.8 points while shooting 42.2% from three.
• Isaac McKneely (transfer from Virginia): One of the nation’s most consistent shooters at 42.2% from beyond the arc across three seasons.

Louisville also retains key production from last season, with J’Vonne Hadley and Kasean Pryor, two of their top five scorers, returning to add experience and toughness.

The result? A team with arguably the deepest backcourt in the ACC, filled with shooters who can stretch the floor, punish defenses, and create headaches for Duke’s young roster.

A Clash of Styles

If Duke represents youthful talent, Louisville stands as its foil: an experienced, perimeter-heavy group that knows how to execute.

• Duke: Loaded with top-tier freshmen like Boozer, brimming with athleticism but still untested at the college level.
• Louisville: A roster with veterans, transfers, and one elite freshman centerpiece in Brown, who will run a system centered on shooting and spacing.

The two programs will meet twice during the regular season, and both games are already shaping up as appointment viewing. Duke’s young stars will need to adapt quickly to the physicality and poise Louisville will bring. On the flip side, Louisville will need to prove that perimeter firepower can withstand the size and talent Duke can throw at them.

What It Means for the ACC

The ACC has long been Duke’s playground, but Rothstein’s bold prediction suggests a power shift might be brewing. Louisville has been steadily rebuilding under Kelsey, and the 2025–26 season could mark their official return to the top tier of the conference.

Should the Cardinals deliver on their potential, the ACC title race could become one of the most compelling in years  not just a coronation for Duke.

For now, all eyes will be on Boozer vs. Brown, Scheyer vs. Kelsey, and a battle of two very different blueprints for success. One thing is certain: the ACC crown won’t come easy this year.