How Many NC State Men’s Basketball Players Have Been Named ACC Player of the Year?

Earlier this week NC State Senior Forward Darrion Williams was named the ACC Preseason Player of the Year by the Official ACC Media Poll.

Williams is the first Wolfpack player to be named Preseason ACC Player of the Year since CJ Leslie in 2012-13.

Heading into the 2025-26 season, it’s clear the media sees this being a battle between Williams and Duke Freshman Forward Cameron Boozer, who was the #3 overall player nationally in the 2025 recruiting class according to 247Sports and ESPN.

If Williams were to meet expectations and bring home the hardware at seasons end, he would become the 7th player in NC State history to be named ACC Player of the Year.

ACC PLAYER OF THE YEAR
1956 Ronnie Shavlik
1959 Lou Pucillo
1973 David Thompson
1974 David Thompson
1975 David Thompson
1991 Rodney Monroe
2004 Julius Hodge
2014 T.J. Warren

The last Wolfpack player to earn ACC Player of the Year honors was TJ Warren in 2014.

This past season, Williams was named First Team All-Big 12, averaging 15.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.3 steals, shooting 43.9% from the field and 34% from three.

ON3 ranked him as the #6 overall player to enter the Transfer Portal this offseason, and the #1 Small Forward.