Mike Krzyzewski isn't a fan of voting in preseason polls. Credit: CHUCK LIDDY

CHARLOTTE—Media members met in Charlotte today for the 50th annual ACC Operation Basketball, and part of the festivities included making a few predictions. For the first time since 1975, NC State was picked to win the league, and Duke finished a a relatively close second. That's exactly how I voted as well. Speaking of my ballot, here it is:

Duke's Mason Plumlee shared a few thoughts on the upcoming season Wednesday at ACC media day. Credit: CHUCK LIDDY

CHARLOTTE, N.C.—Duke seniors Mason Plumlee and Seth Curry met with the media this morning at the annual ACC media day. I'll have a full story later, but here's a few quotes from the players:

Jabari Parker is one of Duke's top targets. Credit: AP

The wait is on.

Per ESPN Chicago, Jabari Parker, considered the top 2013 basketball recruit, is not planning on committing during the early signing period. If Parker doesn't sign with a school during the Nov. 14-21 window, he will have to wait until at least April 17 to make any commitment official.

"I would like for him to commit and sign in one day," Parker's father Sonny Parker told ESPN Chicago. "He's doing this thing on his own, and I just have to support him. From what I'm hearing (from him), he's going to commit probably in December."

All the Duke contingency, including head coach Mike Krzyzewski, enjoyed the trip to Fort Bragg. Credit: CHUCK LIDDY

FORT BRAGG, N.C.—Duke took advantage of fall break and spent Sunday and Monday down at Fort Bragg, one of the largest military installations in the country. For Mike Krzyzewski, it was a return back to his days in the military as a cadet at West Point and eventual captain. For Jeff Capel, it was a trip back home, to the post where he father was stationed for much of his childhood. And for one particular captain, it was an opportunity to meet a man he idolized. Click here for the full story.

Marshall Plumlee, who redshirted last year, will have to wait a longer to make his Duke debut. Credit: CHUCK LIDDY

FORT BRAGG, N.C--Duke redshirt freshman F Marshall Plumlee will miss 6-8 weeks with a stress fracture in his left foot, the team announced today. Plumlee hurt himself in an informal practice last Wednesday. While the rest of the team participated in a practice with a few soldiers, Plumlee sat on the sideline with a boot on his left foot and crutches nearby.

Check back later today for more updates on Duke's two-day trip to Fort Bragg.

Lance Thomas's former teammates, Ryan Kelly and Mason Plumlee, have nothing but postive memories of him. Credit: CHUCK LIDDY

DURHAM—When news broke that Lance Thomas was being sued after failing to pay for nearly $100,000 of jewelry he bought his senior year, it caught his one-time teammates off guard.

“It was kind of shocking,” said Mason Plumlee, a freshman on the 2010 national championship team. “You come to the locker room everyday, and you hear about other schools, ‘oh this happened at Ohio State, this happened in football,’ but you think you’re exempt or something because you’re at Duke, but you’re not. Again, we don’t know where he got the money from, what actually happened.”

It's down to five for the nation's top basketball recruit.

According to ESPN Chicago, Jabari Parker, a 6-foot-8 small forward who is ranked No. 1 overall in the class of 2013, is still considering Duke, Michigan State, Florida, Stanford and BYU. North Carolina—along with hometown team DePaul, Kansas, Georgetown and Kentucky—was eliminated.

"He thought about it and looked at the programs. That's the five he had," Robert Smith, Parker's high school coach, told ESPN Chicago Friday. "It took him a long time to find. Everyone was really good, but he had to make a decision. He really respected everyone recruiting him and wanted to thank them for their time. He knew he couldn't make everyone happy."

In one week's time, Duke will be back on the hardwood. Credit: CHUCK LIDDY

Get excited, Blue Devils fans: we are one week from the start of college basketball.

Starting Sunday, the News & Observer will begin with the initial round of previews and speculation. Early looks at all four area ACC teams—Duke, UNC, NC State and Wake Forest—will roll out next week. If you can't wait for that, check out my early analysis of Duke's schedule. 

Lance Thomas spoke to the media for the first time since news of his lawsuit broke Monday when the New Orleans Hornets opened training camp. Credit: CHUCK LIDDY

NBA training camps opened today, and 19 former Blue Devils went back to work. Among them was Lance Thomas, who has had a quite busy offseason. To review:

A screenshot from an athletics department video reveals a completely different Wallace Wade Stadium 

Updated 3:45 p.m.

Over the weekend, Duke announced a university-wide fundraising campaign, Duke Forward, that aims to raise $3.25 billion. Part of the plan involves a $250 million goal for athletic facilities upgrades, including major renovations to Wallace Wade Stadium and Cameron Indoor. Read more about the capital campaign in general here. For a look at athletics specifically, click here.