Men’s College Basketball 2024: 5 key freshmen to watch in the ACC

College basketball is back, and the new crop of freshmen in 2024 is frighteningly talented — perhaps the best in years. The ACC, unsurprisingly, has one of the strongest freshman classes of any conference.

And while one 17 year-old from Maine has received basically all of the hype in this class, there are numerous other freshmen around the country — and conference — hoping to knock off that Mainer and the seventh-ranked Duke Blue Devils, who are the popular pick to dominate the conference. Here are five freshmen to watch in the ACC this year.

Cooper Flagg, Duke

If you aren't sure who the aforementioned "Mainer" is (that's the official name of people from Maine, by the way, and yes we just learned that today) it's Cooper Flagg, the 6-foot-9 forward who NBA teams are ready to begin tanking for as we speak.

Flagg's athleticism, creation ability, defensive upside, shot-making and advanced passing are all part of what makes him the most exciting US college prospect in years. As the presumed star of this Duke team, picked to finish first in the conference, Flagg's freshman season will come with some high expectations. His debut gave reason to believe that he can live up to those expectations; Flagg looked comfortable operating with the ball in his hands and threw down a poster dunk. He's not your ordinary freshman.

Drake Powell, North Carolina

One of the fellow freshmen trying to stop Cooper Flagg from running through the ACC? Drake Powell, the 6-foot-7 five-star wing who's North Carolina's top recruit from this class. Powell is from North Carolina and decided to stay home and play for the Tar Heels, and the first Duke / UNC matchup could feature a lot of the Powell vs. Flagg matchup.

Powell has the potential to be one of the best defenders in the country; he moves incredibly well, uses his length smartly, and anticipates passes and moves extremely well for someone his age. His size makes it easy for him to switch onto smaller opponents and if he adds more strength he could realistically defend some frontcourt players.

Offensively, Powell's freakish athleticism makes him productive via dunks and drives, but he's pretty raw on that end. Still, he's talented enough to make highlight reel plays and he

Jalil Bethea, Miami

You want a polished offensive game? Meet Jalil Bethea. The five-star recruit from Philadelphia brings an advanced offensive game to the University of Miami, which he chose over some blue-blood programs around the country. Bethea has a wicked handle, which he showed off in Miami's exhibition game last week.

How many freshmen are pulling off pump-fake, step-through floaters in their first game? Not many! Bethea will undoubtedly explode for some huge games every once in a while for the Hurricanes.

Donnie Freeman, Syracuse

What kind of player Donnie Freeman is exactly remains to be seen; he's 6-foot-9, athletic, with a nice scoring touch, but whether he embraces the mid-post game and leans into being a frontcourt player or tries to mold his perimeter game and become a big wing is still a question. Right now it looks like Freeman is most comfortable somewhere in the middle, thriving on an in-between game. If his dribble continues to improve, he'll be a favorite among NBA front offices come next summer.

In the meantime, he's the most exciting recruit Syracuse has signed in years. The Orange aren't expected to give Duke or UNC a run for their money in the ACC this year, but a huge year from Freeman could lift this team more than folks expect.

Ian Jackson, North Carolina

Don't tell Ian Jackson he's 6-foot-4. The Tar Heels new point guard attacks the hoop every time like he's about 6-foot-9 and the word "fear" is clearly not in his vocabulary. There's some Ja Morant in his game just in how aggressively he hurls himself at the basket with no regard for anything at all.

Someone is going to be the victim of the first Ian Jackson poster in college, and godspeed to whoever that poor soul ends up being. Jackson and Drake Powell combine to create one of the most thrilling freshman duos in the country. There needs to be a nickname for these two. Anyone got ideas?