CHAPEL HILL, N.C.—The Associated Press has released its 2024-25 preseason rankings, and North Carolina is ranked No. 9 in the poll.

Kansas was picked first, garnering No. 1 votes on 30 of 60 ballots cast. The rest of the top five was No. 2 Alabama, No. 3 UConn, No. 4 Houston and No. 5 Iowa State.

Slots six through 10 went to No. 6 Gonzaga, No. 7 Duke, No. 8 Baylor, No. 9 UNC and No. 10 Arizona.

A season ago in 2023-24, Carolina went 29-8, extending its NCAA-record number of 25-win seasons to 41. The Tar Heels were the No. 1 seed in the NCAA West Regional, the 18th time UNC earned a No. 1 seed, the most in NCAA Tournament history. Carolina defeated No. 16 Wagner and No. 9 Michigan State in Charlotte and lost to No. 4 seed Alabama in Los Angeles in the Sweet 16.

The Tar Heels return 2024 Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year and consensus first-team All-America guard RJ Davis to this year's lineup, alongside returning starting point guard Elliot Cadeau. Three scholarship freshmen and a trio of additions from the transfer portal have bolstered the UNC squad.

Carolina will play an exhibition game at Memphis on Tuesday October 15, then host Johnson C. Smith in an exhibition in the Smith Center on Sunday October 27. The Tar Heels' regular season opener will come on Monday November 4 against Elon in Chapel Hill.