The ACC has arguably been the best conference all season long. There are four teams ranked in the top 10 AP poll (Virginia, Duke, Notre Dame, and Louisville). Many of the top players of the ACC are also contenders to be All-Americans. Here are the five front runners for the ACC Player of the Year award so far.

  1. Jahlil Okafor (Center Duke) - Okafor is the front runner for Player of the Year by almost every site in the country. He is an absolute beast in the post and is 2nd in the nation in field goal percentage. Okafor averages 18.7 PPG, 9.4 RPG, and 66 FG%. No big man in the nation has been able to contain him in the low post area. He has lead Duke to a 17-3 record and has a big game coming up against Virginia. Okafor is without a doubt the best player in college basketball as a freshman. Best Game: 25 points, 20 rebounds, 3 blocks - Elon.
  2. Jerian Grant (Guard Notre Dame) - Grant could very well be 2nd in the Player of the Year race in most sites as he is the best guard in the country. Notre Dame started off the season unranked and is now a top 10 team lead by him. Grant averages 17.4 PPG, 6.5 APG, and 3.2 RPG. He is the guy who takes the big shots in big moments for the Fighting Irish leading them to a 20-2 record. Even though he was suspended all last season he hasn’t missed a step. Grant is everything you want in a guard and is playing like one of the best players in the country. Best Game: 23 points, 12 assists, and 6 rebounds - Duke.
  3. Terry Rozier (Guard Louisville) - Rozier had to sit behind Russ Smith last season and has done a fantastic job to fill that void. He is the leading scorer for the Cardinals and the most reliable offensive weapon. Rozier averages 18.1 PPG, 5.3 RPG, and 2.1 STL. Many games would’ve been lost if he didn’t step up and take control when Harrell gets double teamed. Rozier has lead the young Cardinals team to a 17-3 record while being their most consistent player. Don’t be surprised if he is up for many awards by the end of the season. Best Game: 32 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals at WKU.
  4. Rakeem Christmas (Forward Syracuse) - Christmas is the least talked about player in the country. If Syracuse had a better record, he might be up for more awards than he is now. Christmas averages 18.4 PPG, 9.0 RPG, and 2.0 BLK. The most improved player in the ACC has been Rakeem Christmas without a doubt after having a not so good first three seasons. The Orange have a (14-7) record but can still find their fitting behind Christmas. If they knock off a few ranked opponents he could get the attention that he deserves. Best Game: 35 points, 9 rebounds, and 61% shooting - Wake Forest.
  5. Trevor Lacey (Guard NC State) - Lacey and the Wolfpack have come close to defeating multiple top teams this season but fell short in most. He is their leading scorer and one of the most feared players in the conference. Lacey averages 16.5 PPG, 4.7 RPG, and 3.5 APG. Some might not agree to put a player on this list whose team has a 13-9 record but he deserves to be here. During the Duke game he looked very confident and wouldn’t back down to a top ranked team. He would put up the same numbers on a Virginia or UNC. Best Game: 26 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists - Richmond.