Malcolm Brogdon, Buzz Williams lead my All-ACC basketball ballot

Virginia senior Malcolm Brogdon is my ACC player of the year, and Virginia Tech coach Buzz Williams is my ACC coach of the year.

It’s official: my 2016 All-ACC ballot is in the hands of the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association.

Brogdon (18.5 ppg, 47.7% FG, 42.2% 3FG, 4.3 rebs/g, 2.8 assists/g) is to me the clear-cut choice for player of the year, with those offensive numbers and his defense.

Brogdon is also the first line of my All-ACC first team. North Carolina forward Brice Johnson (16.8 ppg, 10.4 rebs/g, 61.6% FG) and Clemson forward Jaron Blossomgame (18.7 ppg, 51.4% FG, 43.5% 3FG, 6.8 rebs/g) round out the lock section of my ballot.

I think the next five guys could be interchangeable. I ended up going with Duke guard Grayson Allen (21.2 ppg, 48.0% FG, 41.5% 3FG, 4.6 rebs/g, 3.5 assists/g) and N.C. State guard Cat Barber (23.2 ppg, 43.1% FG, 4.6 rebs/g, 4.4 assists/g) to flesh out my first team.

The case can and will be made by other voters that the first three guys on my second team – Duke forward Brandon Ingram (16.9 ppg, 45.0% FG, 40.6% 3FG, 6.8 rebs/g), Miami guard Sheldon McClellan (15.6 ppg, 50.4% FG, 40.2% 3FG) and Notre Dame guard Demetrius Jackson (15.9 ppg, 45.8% FG, 4.9 assists/g) – all have first-team credentials.

I won’t argue the case of any, and I won’t be surprised particularly if Ingram ends up getting enough support to replace Blossomgame on the first team. I err on the side of what I’ve seen, and I saw Blossomgame absolutely shred Virginia twice this year, including this week, when he went for 31 in a 64-57 loss to the Cavs.

I wrote a column last week sharing my early thinking on the All-ACC voting, and I had Ingram first team and Blossomgame second team then.

Both are clearly the league’s top NBA prospects. Ingram has the potential to be a breakout star, and Blossomgame, in the right situation, can be a productive pro with his ability to post up, drive from the perimeter and hit the three.

 

Down the ballot

• Buzz Williams is my coach of the year, a change from my two weeks ago early look at the balloting, when I had Miami’s Jim Larranaga here. Williams may be an overwhelming choice in the final accounting, after leading a Tech team tabbed in the preseason to finish 14th to a nine-ACC-wins-and-counting conference season.
• Brogdon is my defensive player of the year. He has done well against the likes of Barber, a 6’1” point guard, Allen, a 6’5” two guard, Blossomgame, a 6’7” small forward, and Ingram, a 6’9” stretch four. No one else in the conference can guard top talents at four different positions. Obvious choice.
• Ingram is my freshman of the year, and he may be a unanimous choice, even with the impressive Florida State duo of Dwayne Bacon (15.8 ppg, 45.1% FG, 5.8 rebs/g) and Malik Beasley (15.6 ppg, 46.6% FG, 5.3 rebs/g) in the running.
• Zach LeDay is the most improved player. Allen likely wins this one, but LeDay stands out to me, averaging 15.1 points and 7.7 rebounds per game, shooting 46.4 percent from the field and 35.4 percent from three-point range this season. The South Florida transfer averaged 3.2 points and 2.5 rebounds per game as a sophomore in 2013-2014.
• I’m going with North Carolina forward Isaiah Hicks as my sixth man of the year. Just love his numbers: 9.3 points and 4.7 rebounds in 18.4 minutes per game, shooting 61.6 percent from the field and 75.7 percent from the free-throw line. Anywhere else, the 6’8” Hicks is not only a starter, but a top star.

My ACC ballot

First Team

• Malcolm Brogdon, Virginia
• Brice Johnson, North Carolina
• Jaron Blossomgame, Clemson
• Grayson Allen, Duke
• Cat Barber, NC State

All-ACC Second Team

• Brandon Ingram, Duke
• Sheldon McClellan, Miami
• Demetrius Jackson, Notre Dame
• Michael Gbinije, Syracuse
• Anthony Gill, Virginia

All-ACC Third Team

• Damion Lee, Louisville
• Michael Young, Pitt
• Jamel Artis, Pitt
• Zach LeDay, Virginia Tech
• London Perrantes, Virginia

All-ACC Defensive Team

• Malcolm Brogdon, Virginia
• Chinanu Onuaku, Louisville
• Landry Nnoko, Clemson
• Isaiah Wilkins, Virginia
• Tonye Jekiri, Miami

All-ACC Freshman Team

• Brandon Ingram, Duke
• Dwayne Bacon, Florida State
• Malik Beasley, Florida State
• Bryant Crawford, Wake Forest
• Luke Kennard, Duke

ACC Player of the Year: Malcolm Brogdon, Virginia

ACC Rookie of the Year: Brandon Ingram, Duke

ACC Coach of the Year: Buzz Williams, Virginia Tech

ACC Defensive Player of the Year: Malcolm Brogdon, Virginia

ACC Most Improved Player: Zach LeDay, Virginia Tech

ACC Sixth Man of the Year: Isaiah Hicks, North Carolina