The 2021 men’s basketball season will be remembered in part for being shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic. But, lost in the musical-chairs shuffle of games, another key element of this discontinuous season is the stunning depth to which the ACC has sunk in popular estimation.
Perhaps it’s simply because flagship programs Duke and North Carolina have yet to emerge as dominant forces. Maybe it’s seeing Clemson and Virginia Tech, programs that dwell at the edges of conference consciousness, enjoy uncommon prosperity.
Maybe the ACC’s luster is dulled by the absence of attention-grabbing stars, or the lack of excitement that normally accrues as highly-acclaimed league teams take each other’s measure.