ACC Has Produced 248 NBA First-Round Picks Since 2000. That’s 52 More Than the SEC.

The numbers are in, and they’re not close. The Atlantic Coast Conference has pumped out 248 first-round NBA Draft picks since the year 2000. That’s 52 more than the Southeastern Conference, which sits at 196 over the same span, according to OptaSTATS.

That gap matters heading into this week’s draft. The ACC is expected to add to that total Tuesday and Wednesday with a handful of top prospects, led by Duke’s Cam Boozer and North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson. Both guys project as lottery picks, and both carry the conference flag into what’s shaping up as another strong night for the league.

But here’s the thing. The top overall pick this year won’t be from the ACC. That distinction belongs to BYU’s AJ Dybantsa, a Big 12 guy projected to go No. 1 to whichever team lands the pick. That gives the Big 12 a win on the top line, but the ACC still owns the depth chart.

Cooper Flagg was the last ACC player taken first overall, going to the Dallas Mavericks a year ago. Now it’s Boozer’s turn to make a case. The Duke freshman has the bloodlines — his father Carlos Boozer was a nine-time NBA All-Star — and the skills. Scouts love his feel for the game, and that high basketball IQ? It comes from years of working out with his dad. He’s versatile enough to play inside or out, and he’s not shy about wanting to go first.

Wilson isn’t shy either. The Tar Heels forward has talked about wanting to be the best ever. That’s a big swing, but confidence isn’t a problem for this kid. He’s got the length, the jumper, and the swagger that scouts notice.

Beyond those two, the ACC should get more names called on night one. Louisville point guard Mikel Brown Jr. is projected at No. 6 to the Brooklyn Nets, according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints. Stanford’s Ebuka Okorie, another ACC product following the conference’s expansion, lands at No. 23 to the Atlanta Hawks in some mock drafts.

On the SEC side, Arkansas guard Darius Acuff is the conference’s top prospect, with the Sacramento Kings reportedly interested at No. 7 overall. That’s solid. But the numbers tell a different story at the top of the draft board.

The ACC has owned the first round for the last 25 years. This week, it gets a chance to prove that trend isn’t slowing down.