Duke's top-two class highlights ACC basketball signing day superlatives

ACC basketball signed another elite group of prospects in the early signing period, headlined by Duke’s No. 2 overall class. 

A long list of superlatives includes the ACC signing the most members of the On3 Consensus Top 150 in the 2022 cycle. The ACC’s 26 signees bested a surging SEC by one. 

The ACC is the lone conference with four teams that signed three top-100 ranked prospects last week. 

Duke signed all three On3 Consensus 5-star prospects that are headed to the ACC. 

ACC shows depth in On3 Consensus team rankings

The ACC has eight programs that rank in the top 50 of the On3 Consensus Team Rankings. 

Following Duke is Virginia at No. 12 and North Carolina at No. 16. The ACC didn’t fare as well with top-25 classes as the SEC, Big 12 and Big 10, but the depth is impressive. 

Notre Dame, Miami, Florida State and Virginia Tech all fell within the top 40 of the team rankings. And Louisville checks in at No. 46. Only the SEC had more programs in the top 50 of the team rankings with nine. 

ACC loaded up in On3 Consensus prospect rankings

The ACC’s early signing period haul includes 17 top-100 ranked prospects in the On3 Consensus. 

Talented big men will be a plenty in the conference in future years. Ten members of the On3 consensus top 150 headed to the ACC are power forwards and centers. 

Eleven programs signed a member of the On3 Consensus top-150 prospect rankings. North Carolina led the way with four in a well-rounded class. Duke, Virginia, Miami, Florida State and Notre Dame all inked three. 

A sleeper to watch

The state of Texas is loaded in the 2022 cycle. That means there will be some really talented prospects that don’t receive the fanfare of others. One of those is 6-foot-6 guard/wing Chauncey Gibson (Dallas, Texas/Kimball). The On3 Consensus three-star has size and the ability to shoot the three. Gibson is an improving ball handler against pressure defense. He can also drop down and rebound the ball from his guard spot. Gibson is fully accustomed to playing against high-end quickness and size coming from the hoops hotbed of Dallas-Fort Worth. That will make his adjustment to the step up in talent less overwhelming early on.

If not Gibson, Virginia signee Isaac Traudt (Grand Island, Neb.) would qualify. Not often a prospect ranked No. 40 in the On3 Consensus could be considered a sleeper. On3 fully expects Traudt to be the next prospect ranked between 30 and 70 in prospect rankings to be drafted after three or four seasons under Tony Bennett. His ability to play within a system will always be undervalued. That combined with his size at a shade over 6-foot-9, the perimeter shooting ability and ball handling will grab the attention of NBA scouts. 

ACC basketball signing day starting five

Three of the starting five signed with Duke, further highlighting the strength of the Blue Devils’ class. The top incoming backcourt players that round out the starting five will be playing at Notre Dame and Virginia Tech. 

PG J.J. Starling, Baldwinsville (N.Y.) La Lumiere

On3 Consensus ranking: No. 28 

Signed with Notre Dame

SG Rodney Rice, Clinton (Mary.) DeMatha Catholic

On3 Consensus ranking: No. 65 

Signed with Virginia Tech

SF Dariq Whitehead, Newark (N.J.) Montverde Academy

On3 Consensus ranking: No. 4 

Signed with Duke

PF Kyle Filipowski, Blythewood (S.C.)

On3 Consensus ranking: No. 11

Signed with Duke

C Derek Lively II, Bellefonte (Pa.) Westtown School

On3 Consensus ranking: No. 2

Signed with Duke

Sixth man Seth Trimble, PG, Menomonee Falls (Wisc.) 

On3 Consensus ranking: No. 34 

Signed with North Carolina