Bad News Hits UNC Regarding an ACC Rival

Mar 8, 2024; Greensboro, NC, USA; General view of the ACC logo before the game between Notre Dame vs Louisville at Greensboro Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: David Yeazell-Imagn Images David Yeazell-Imagn Images

Bad News Hits UNC Regarding an ACC Rival

Originally posted on North Carolina Tar Heels on SI
By Logan Lazarczyk | Last updated May 23, 2026 11:00 AM ET

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Not much has gone wrong for the North Carolina Tar Heels in recent weeks, but that could quickly turn on a moment's notice, depending on Matt Able's imminent decision.

However, Friday further confirmed the Tar Heels' road to the top of the ACC will be a grueling challenge, as John Blackwell officially withdrew from the NBA Draft and will play his senior season with the Duke Blue Devils.

While Blackwell was expected to return for his senior season, Tar Heel fans were holding onto a glimmer of hope that the 6-foot-3, 202-pound guard could ditch Duke for the upcoming draft. Nevertheless, that will not be the case, and here is a deeper look into why this applies even more pressure on North Carolina heading into next season.

Able's Decision Becomes Even More Crucial

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The North Carolina State transfer’s decision whether to stay in the draft or see out his move to North Carolina is obviously the most important development for the coaching staff to keep tabs on. However, this news magnifies the importance of the Tar Heels retaining Able for at least the 2026-27 college basketball season.

Duke would have been elite regardless of whether Blackwell departed for the draft. That being said, the Wisconsin transfer is one of the best scorers in the nation, averaging 19.2 points per game while shooting 43.0 percent from the field and 38.9 percent from three-point range. Keeping Able in the equation will counter that, although North Carolina still has an uphill battle to compete for the ACC title.

Difficult Task in ACC

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Retaining Blackwell, paired with the No. 1 2026 recruiting class in the country, will prove to be overwhelming for several teams, including the Tar Heels, who need to get past the Blue Devils if they want to challenge for the ACC.

In 2025, Duke only lost one game in conference play - against North Carolina - and it's safe to say that the roster has only improved since the Elite Eight defeat against the Connecticut Huskies. The Blue Devils may have lost Cameron Boozer to the draft, but they retained multiple key rotational players while adding several marquee players from the transfer portal and recruiting class.

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Duke is the favorite in the conference and could run away with the regular season title and conference tournament championship once again next season. North Carolina will do everything possible to prevent that from happening, but head coach Michael Malone and his players will be tasked with a nearly impossible feat in that regard.

The Tar Heels already had a narrow path to winning the ACC, and you can argue it officially closed on Friday.

This article first appeared on North Carolina Tar Heels on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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