UNC Basketball: This publication thinks Tar Heels are a top-10 team

North Carolina a top-10 team in 2018? NBC Sports thinks so.

NBC Sports released its college basketball preseason rankings this week, and the North Carolina Tar Heels nabbed a spot in the top-10.

Thanks to a trio of returning senior starters — Luke Maye, Kenny Williams and Cameron Johnson — and a talented freshman class that boasts two five-star players, including the potential No. 1 pick in next year’s NBA Draft, expectations are again high in Chapel Hill.

The No. 1 team in NBC’s top-25 is Kansas, which returns a number of experienced players from last year’s squad, as well as a pair of Memphis transfers in Dedric and K.J. Lawson. The Jayhawks also welcome in a pair of five-star guards in Quentin Grimes and Devon Dotson.

Kentucky is second in the rankings with another talented incoming freshman class and the nation’s top transfer player in former Stanford big man Reid Travis. Gonzaga comes in at third on the list, while Duke and Villanova are fourth and fifth, respectively.

Nevada is No. 6, and Tennessee is ranked seventh. The Volunteers return all but one player from last year’s team, including SEC Player of the Year Grant Williams. The Virginia Cavaliers are eighth, and hoping to rebound from a poor NCAA Tournament showing in 2018

The Tar Heels come in next at No. 9 on the list. Maye, who scored 16.9 points per game to go along with 10.1 rebounds last season, was the nation’s most improved player. Nassir Little was a consensus top-5 prospect coming out of high school, and he will provide depth and star-power for the Tar Heels this season.

NBC’s Rob Dauster had the following to say about UNC’s prospects for the 2018-19 season:

"“Where you rank UNC in the preseason is going to depend entirely on two things: How good you think their freshmen — White and Little — are going to be, and what kind of development you expect out of Brandon Huffman, Sterling Manley and Garrison Brooks. Will there be a returning player in college basketball this season that is better than Maye?”"

The No. 10 Auburn Tigers are coming off of a strong showing in 2018, and looking to remain on top of the SEC this season. They are one of five SEC teams ranked among the top 25.

In all, the Atlantic Coast Conference placed eight teams in the top-25, leading all other conferences by a wide margin.

The Tar Heels begin the season with back-to-back road games beginning on November 6th at Wofford.