2022-23 ACC Preview
A look ahead at the best prospects, teams, and biggest X-Factors lying ahead in the ACC
In order to do prospect scouting the right way, we firmly believe that understanding the schemes and team circumstances that surround each prospect is necessary. Get to know the coaches and what they look to do on both ends. Learn about the teammates so we can contextualize how a prospect’s usage comes to be. Understand opponents to make sure the game-to-game product is better contextualized. Without doing that, our scouting feels rather incomplete and leaving too many variables unaccounted for. In order to nail college scouting, we need to get to know as much about the college landscape as possible.
With that in mind, we’re putting our observations and predictions to the page on every major conference team in college basketball. We’ll discuss their style of play, their holes on the roster, pro prospects, where they might land next to their conference rivals, swing factors to their success this season, and more. Some will see this as a college season preview — and that’s quite alright. What this is intended to be just as clearly, though, is a guide to refer back to for team understanding all season.
Standings Predictions
Duke
North Carolina
Florida State
Virginia
Miami (FL)
Syracuse
Virginia Tech
Notre Dame
Wake Forest
NC State
Clemson
Georgia Tech
Louisville
Boston College
Pittsburgh
15. Pittsburgh Panthers
Head Coach: Jeff Capel
Record Last Year: 11-21, t-11th in ACC
Prospects to Watch: Dior Johnson*, William Jeffress, Nelly Cummings, John Hugley
No coach is on the hot seat in the ACC quite like Jeff Capel. The Zoo is dying to get hopping again after years of dormant play following the school’s ill-advised decision to move on from Jamie Dixon. The best freshman they’ve landed in the Capel era is Dior Johnson, a player recently toubled legally with some shameful accusations. It is unclear when, or if, he will be back with the Panthers. Colgate transfer Nelly Cummings is capable of running the point regardless. Cummings was really strong for the Red Raiders last year and should be sturdy enough in the ACC.
William Jeffress is super talented and a guy we’ve been expecting to break out each of the last two years. Perhaps is the year, though we’re not holding our breath this time. Marquette transfer Greg Elliott is a strong 6’3” combo likely to play the 3, and Iowa State transfer Blake Hinson is ready to contribute, if not start, from day one. Nike Sibande missed all of last year due to injury; he was a trendy breakout candidate a year ago and will contribute to the rotation if healthy. John Hugley is a monster on the interior (but only 6’8”) and Jamarius Burton, the #2 option last year behind Hugley, is also back. There are two wild card signings from the JUCO ranks and two international big men twins: legitimate seven-footers to provide size and depth.
The point is, the off-court issues with Dior Johnson are a damper on their depth and likely take their most talented player off the court, though. They could end up in last place or in the middle of the pack. We’re splitting the difference here on such an erratic group — there have always been last-minute defections and roster changes under Capel.
14. Boston College Eagles
Head Coach: Earl Grant
Record Last Year: 13-20, t-11th in ACC
Prospects to Watch: DeMarr Langford, Makai Ashton-Langford, Prince Aligbe
From a pure talent perspective, Earl Grant’s team is at the bottom of the ACC. But we’ve long believed the Eagles can find a pathway to success, if done right. Freshman Armani Mighty could come in and play right away at the 5; he’s a really good signing for the Eagles and will push senior Quentin Post for the starting spot. Donald Hand and Prince Aligbe are intriguing young guys for the long-term, too. Aligbe could have a breakout freshman campaign, where his physical stature and toughness are much-needed at the 4. A good start for Grant with his first freshman recruiting class.
There’s no rush on the guards to contribute right away, as Makai Ashton-Langford (12.0 PTS), DeMarr Langford (11.3 PTS), and Jaeden Zackery (10.4 PTS) all return to play the 1 thru 3 spots. Zackery was impressive as a freshman, and this trio gives the Eagles enough individual offensive creation to hold their own. If transfers Mason Madsen and CJ Penha Jr. can make an impact, the Eagles will be deep enough to push closer to the middle of the pack.
There are solid role players all around them, so the team will go as far as the backcourt takes them. Unfortunately, there isn’t one major scorer among them, just three above-average ones. They’ll struggle on defense, are thin at the wing/ forward spots and were a poor 3-point shooting team last year without adding transfers to provide that floor spacing. The Eagles have solid youth and can turn the corner in the next couple of years. They just won’t make that big step forward without unforeseen drastic improvements.
13. Louisville Cardinals
Head Coach: Kenny Payne
Record Last Year: 13-19, t-11th in ACC
Prospects to Watch: Brandon Huntley-Hatfield, Kamari Lands, Jae’lin Withers, Roosevelt Wheeler, Devin Ree
Kenny Payne is taking over. It will be a process for the Cardinals to get back to being an elite program year after year, and the 2022-23 season figures to be a bridge year. This roster has a few talented guys, and Payne will have them playing tough and buying in on defense. Brandon Huntley-Hatfield is the prize of the offseason, coming in with former five-star status and a really physical style of play that the Cardinal faithful will love. He’s likely to start at the 4 and be the reason they play a more deliberate, inside-out style. Next to him is likely to be big man Sydney Curry, if not a guy like Roosevelt Wheeler. Curry is more experienced as the 260-pound rising senior, but Wheeler is intriguing with his stretch-shooting potential.
At the 3, we’re hoping Kamari Lands pays immediate dividends as a freshman. The Indianapolis native is a really underrated recruit and a guy NBA teams should really start targeting. The trouble with the Cards is that they have Jae’lin Withers, a 6’8” non-shooter to already play the 3 and 4 spots. While they’re deep here as a team and have some experience, they don’t have any shooting. Yep. The Cards could play a style with zero spacing in the frontcourt.
As large of an issue as that is, it’s made worse because the backcourt isn’t one stocked with self-creators or elite floor spacers. Eli Ellis shot 36% from 3 and is back for another season to start at the point. Maybe they go huge and lean all into athleticism and defense by playing Lands at the 2. Redshirt freshman Mike James or 6’8” Devin Ree (a 3-and-D type of player) could play at the 2 — while we like Ree as a prospect, his production will likely be dependent on his guard play. The Cardinals will be huge and long, so it’s quite possible they build a tremendous defense. We think that’ll be enough to keep them out of the very bottom of the league, but the offense could get rough to watch.
12. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Head Coach: Josh Pastner
Record Last Year: 12-20, 14th in ACC
Prospects to Watch: Dallan Coleman, Miles Kelly, Kyle Sturdivant
Jose Alvarado, Jordan Usher and Michael Devoe were the perfect backcourt guys for the Yellow Jackets over the last few years, though their departures haven’t left the cupboard bare. Head coach Josh Pastner has done a really good job bringing in guards. Kyle Sturdivant had a strong first year after transferring from USC, while rising sophomore Miles Kelly could be in for a breakout after a great finish to the year. We also really like 6’6” rising sophomore Dallan Coleman and believe he has a pro future. He’s one of the best shooters in the ACC and is a dependable wing. Junior Devion Smith provides depth off the bench.
Senior Rodney Howard will likely start down low, but the forward spots are a real area of uncertainty. The Yellow Jackets didn’t make any major splashes on the transfer market to give an uptick in their production. 6’6” sophomore Jalon Moore is likely to start, but after last year, that doesn’t inspire much confidence that he’ll help Tech move up in the standings.
It very much feels like they’re treading water in Atlanta. Howard is a really good passer at the 5 and fits their Princeton-based approach. They have solid talent in the backcourt. We’re just not thrilled with the group as a whole despite liking a few of their pieces. Something feels off.
11. Clemson Tigers
Head Coach: Brad Brownell
Record Last Year: 17-16, 10th in ACC
Prospects to Watch: PJ Hall, Dillon Hunter, Brevin Galloway, Joshua Beadle
Brad Brownell is good for about three wins a year. On his own, he just maximizes what the Tigers can offer. Brownell is here for a reason. He panders to their (somewhat religious) local base, he runs a clean program to keep the NCAA off Dabo Swinney’s back, and wins enough games to keep the Tigers out of the basement. Until the athletic department decides they want to be good, they’ll keep treading water in the ACC.
PJ Hall is clearly their best player. The 6’10” rising junior had an awesome sophomore season: 15.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks. He’s an all-conference candidate and the engine that will drive their offense this year. Hunter Tyson will start alongside him in the frontcourt, keeping together the strength of this team: skill up front.
Grad transfer Brevin Galloway will help with scoring, and freshman Dillon Hunter is the best prospect they’ve had in a while. Alex Hemenway, Chase Hunter and Josh Beadle should provide depth in the backcourt. Brownell really gets the most out of his group, and should do so again this year. Unfortunately, they’ll be closer to the basement of the ACC than the NCAA Tournament.
10. North Carolina State Wolfpack
Head Coach: Kevin Keatts
Record Last Year: 11-21, 15th in ACC
Prospects to Watch: Terquavion Smith, Jarkel Joiner
Last year was a rough year for the Wolfpack. Despite having two clear NBA talents in Dereon Seabron and Terquavion Smith, they couldn’t find a way to win games. Manny Bates, their towering shot blocker, got hurt a minute into the first game and missed the rest of the year. They lacked depth behind him, and got exposed instantly when he left. Seabron and Smith, two ball-dominant scorers, needed spacing around them as Keatts leaned into an all-offense approach, pushing pass-first point guard Cam Hayes to the bench.
Now Hayes and Bates have transferred out, Seabron is off to the NBA, and Terquavion is back to pick up the pieces. He’s talented enough as a scorer to keep the Wolfpack in some games, but the supporting cast needs to step up this year. Their struggles over some summer abroad trips underlined just how tough this season could be. 6’1” grad transfer Jarkel Joiner will help in the backcourt, giving another starter next to Terquavion that will at least alleviate pressure and let Smith thrive while playing off-ball.
Beyond that, it’s pretty bare bones. Senior Casey Morsell will likely start, giving the Wolfpack a three-guard lineup. Ebenezer Dowuona started in Bates’ absence and will likely do so once again. Winthrop grad transfer DJ Burns gives them more depth and options up front, as does Utah grad transfer Dusan Mahorcic. They’re bodies, but not necessarily needle-movers. They’ll go as far as Terquavion takes them.
9. Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Head Coach: Steve Forbes
Record Last Year: 25-10, 5th in ACC
Prospects to Watch: Bobi Klintman, Damari Monsanto, Andrew Carr, Jao Ikuta, Cameron Hildreth
While Steve Forbes had a great year last year, the Deacs were unable to make it to the NCAA Tournament, being left off as a bubble team. First-round pick Jake LaRavia was drafted, and Alondes Williams is trying to latch on in the NBA. Losing those two massive pieces of the offense will always hurt. Khadim Sy, Dallas Walton and Isaiah Mucius are gone as well — five of the top six from last year’s 25-win team are gone.
6’2” guard Damien Williamson is back to help the backcourt and Cameron Hildreth will step into a larger role as a sophomore. Both are good ACC players; Williamson shot a sturdy 39% from 3. Forbes likes to lean into offense and play up-tempo, so we’d expect their roster tendencies to reflect such a style. Damari Monsanto, another 39% shooter from deep, will slide into the wing spot to flank their deep backcourt.
The transfers and freshmen coming in will have a lot of time and opportunity. Jao Ituka (Marist) had an excellent freshman season and will be in the mix for major run as a sophomore. He shot 40% from 3 and is a pretty dynamic driver. Bobi Klintman, the freshman from Sweden, is a really skilled 6’9” forward that has his fans in draft circles. Andrew Carr (Delaware) has somehow grown to 6’10” and is a really good 3-point shooter; there’s unheralded LaRavia potential here. Grad transfer point guard Tyree Appleby (Florida) and seven-footer Davion Bradford (Kansas State) give them depth and experience at high levels if those three newcomers aren’t ready for ACC play. Nice insurance policies from Forbes, who has a ton of depth in the backcourt but no number-one option to clearly take the reigns like Alondes did last year.
8. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Head Coach: Mike Brey
Record Last Year: 24-11, t-2nd in ACC
Prospects to Watch: JJ Starling, Dane Goodwin, Nate Laszewski, Marcus Hammond, Ven-Allen Lubin
Mike Brey cares about defense less than I care about The Bachelorette. That’s saying something. Brey got a late-Spring shot-in-the-arm when stretch big Nate Laszewski withdrew from the draft and agreed to return for one more year. His presence as an elite floor-spacing frontcourt option has opened up wonders for the Fighting Irish offense and allowed Brey to feel comfortable that they’ll outscore anyone. It worked last year, with Blake Wesley as the star freshman.
That role will be filled by JJ Starling this year. Starling struggled to create for others on the AAU circuit last year but he’s a physical guard and space creator; he’s probably the best talent they’ve had since the Demetrius Jackson and Jerian Grant era. Niagara transfer Marcus Hammond can help right away and could start in the spot left behind by Prentiss Hubb. Hammond will need to be more of the table-setter.
There were a lot of seniors on last year’s 24-win Irish squad. Laszewski, Dane Goodwin, Trey Wertz and Cormac Ryan are back; Hubb and Paul Atkinson are gone. While Starling steps into the Blake Wesley role, it’s still unknown who will be the starting big man next to Laszewski. Freshman Dom Campbell is an impressive big, Matt Zona is the incumbent bench player, and Ven-Allen Lubin is another freshman to help out. They’ll struggle to guard the post this year and will shoot it really well, plus have a late-clock self-creator in Starling. They’ll at least be good. Without size, it’s hard to buy into them consistently winning conference games to get into the top-five of the league yet again.
7. Virginia Tech Hokies
Head Coach: Mike Young
Record Last Year: 23-13, 7th in ACC
Prospects to Watch: Rodney Rice, Justyn Mutts, Hunter Cattoor
Mike Young can really coach on the offensive end, and his Hokies have already established a track record of overperforming. ACC coaches don’t underestimate Young’s teams, so maybe we’re pretty mistaken in having them this low. Still, they lost a fair amount from last year, including Keve Aluma, one of our favorite inside-outside big man threats in the country. Wright State transfer Grant Basile will take over at the 5, and he had a productive season last year: 18.4 PTS, 8.5 REB, 2.0 AST. The playmaking and versatility will jive well with Young’s offense.
Seniors Justyn Mutts and Hunter Cattoor are back to reprise their roles as sturdy offensive pieces. Mutts is a real dark horse draft prospect; he checks a lot of boxes analytically and as a stat sheet stuffer while playing either forward spot effectively. Cattoor’s shooting can catch fire at any moment, making him a really valued piece of their attack. Sean Pedulla and Darius Maddux are bombs away shooters as well; if the Hokies choose to play all three around frontcourt playmakers Mutts and Basile, their offense will be extraordinarily tough to stop.
We really like freshman guard Rodney Rice out of DeMatha — this is why Young hired Mike Jones as his associate head coach! Rice gives them an added amount of juice off the bounce. He’s our X-Factor this season. If Rice can play 25 minutes a game effectively, the Hokies will be back in the dance. They have a clear identity and have proven they can win that way. We just wish there was a little more athleticism and on-ball defense across the board.
6. Syracuse Orange
Head Coach: Jim Boeheim
Record Last Year: 16-17, 9th in ACC
Prospects to Watch: Judah Mintz, Joe Girard, Jesse Edwards, Benny Williams, Chris Bunch
The Orange lost a lot of really talented players from last year’s team. The Boeheim brothers were two of the more productive shooters in the country, and Cole Swider is now with the Los Angeles Lakers. Many are expecting them to take a step back as a result, but we think this team will actually have more balance. Joe Girard and freshman Judah Mintz can handle the offense; they’re a good one-two punch because both can play with the ball in their hands or away from the rock. Add in senior Symir Torrence and they have a good three-man rotation back there.
Syracuse loves to play that 2-3 zone, and in recent years they’ve played three guards, meaning there’s less length down low at one of the wing spots. That could start to change, reverting to the size and length at the 3 and 4 that can be lethal in that zone. Freshman Chris Bunch and sophomore Benny Williams are really good athletes that can cover ground in those positions. Justin Taylor is a really skilled freshman with some scoring potential.
The middle is a solid spot as well. Jesse Edwards is one of the nation’s more underrated bigs; he’s a really good shot blocker and covers ground to contest jumpers in the mid-range area. He’s perfect for this defense and should anchor an improved attack (their defense was putrid last season). John Bol Ajak has legit size and length behind him. ‘Cuse is young, but there’s plenty of talent. Mintz is a potential one-and-done guy, Girard and Edwards are pros somewhere, and the young athletes on the frontline can provide a spark.
5. Miami Hurricanes
Head Coach: Jim Larranaga
Record Last Year: 26-11, 4th in ACC
Prospects to Watch: Isaiah Wong, Nijel Pack, Norchad Omier, Harlond Beverly, Favour Airee, AJ Casey
Isaiah Wong and Nijel Pack is a lethal combination in the backcourt. Lethal. They’re one of the best scoring duos in the entire nation, let alone the ACC. Pack, a Kansas State transfer, has insanely deep range and spaces the floor in ways that will make you forget the Hurricanes lost some good guards to graduation. Wong is a livewire scorer with impressive athleticism. He comes and goes in spurts, but when he’s in takeover mode, he’s tough to stop.
Larranaga got the Hurricanes playing well at the right time last year, as their 5-out offense carried them through the NCAA Tournament. That 5-out spacing was made possible by big man and stretch-5 Sam Waardenburg, now lost to graduation. While that spacing may be gone, the arrival of Arkansas State transfer Norchad Omier makes up for it by tightening the team’s biggest weakness from last year: rebounding. Omier is more of a 4 than a 5 and commits them to a slightly different style of play. 6’8” freshman AJ Casey, 6’8” junior Anthony Walker and 6’10” center Favour Airee likely balance the frontcourt in some fashion this year. This is a pretty sturdy group.
Jordan Miller, an important cog in last year’s wheel, will make up the fifth starting spot as the Hurricanes trend towards playing bigger. Perhaps former top-60 recruit Harlond Beverly takes a step forward, as could sophomore Wogga Poplar. Larranaga has shooting and depth to play next to Pack and Wong, and finally a bigger body to really bang on the interior in Omier.
4. Virginia Cavaliers
Head Coach: Tony Bennett
Record Last Year: 21-14, 6th in ACC
Prospects to Watch: Jayden Gardner, Reece Beekman, Kihei Clark, Armaan Franklin, Isaac McKneely, Leon Bond, Isaac Traudt, Ben Vander Plas, Ryan Dunn
Look, we all know what to expect from a Virginia team at this point. They may not be on the National Championship level they got to a few years ago, but there’s a gritty group that plays a disciplined style, defends the crap out of people and wins games by grinding them out. Kihei Clark and Reece Beekman make up the backcourt, and they are a nightmare duo to try and score on. Senior Armaan Franklin gives depth and likely will come off the bench for more of an offensive kick. It’s a deep and experienced group, and these three were three of the team’s four leading scorers a year ago.
Starters in the frontcourt Jayden Gardner and Kadin Shedrick are also both back, as is 7’1” Francisco Caffaro. The top six all returning from a 21-win team will help them win a few more games this year. Gardner is the standout on the entire roster and should be an All-Conference performer. He was quietly fantastic last year: 15.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 50% shooting from the field.
What gives us optimism for the Cavaliers isn’t just the returners here but the young talent we are really high on. That can give them depth, size, and different lineups to throw out there given the opponent. 6’10” big man Isaac Traudt may be the best big on the roster; the Cavs don’t need to rely on him to play right away, but he’s perfect for their style of game. Isaac McKneely and Leon Bond are good wings that give them a little more size than the three-guard lineup might look; we like McKneely a lot. Ben Vander Plas, the transfer from Ohio, is another frontcourt body but is the definition of a stretch big. He took more shots from 3 than from 2 last year at 6’8”.
Tony Bennett is still an elite coach, and this is the deepest group he’s had in years. A lot of that depth is young, meaning there are questions about how ready they are to contribute to a winning team. But the experience of the top six returners plus Ohio transfer Vander Plas should assuage any of those worries, making freshman contributions icing on the cake.
2. Florida State Seminoles
Head Coach: Leonard Hamilton
Record Last Year: 17-14, 8th in ACC
Prospects to Watch: Baba Miller, Matthew Cleveland, Jalen Warley, Caleb Mills, Camron Fletcher, Darin Green Jr., Chandler Jackson
Sometimes you just have a gut feeling.
Our gut is telling us that the continuity of this Seminoles program will help them take a massive leap forward. Sophomores Jalen Warley and Matthew Cleveland are ready to produce at a high level and complement each other well. Cleveland is the toolsy slasher with solid passing feel and really good finishing ability. Warley is the crafty big guard with shooting potential and an awesome penchant to distribute the rock. Both have all-conference potential and should be on NBA radars.
Head coach Leonard Hamilton believes in depth and plays 9-12 guys legitimate rotation minutes on a nightly basis. In that sense, the Seminoles will only be as good as their depth allows. But around Warley and Cleveland need to be the right pieces. Caleb Mills (12.7 PPG) is such a guy. He’s an excellent 2-guard and both shoots it and gets to the tin. UCF transfer Darin Green Jr. can really shoot it from deep, providing much-needed floor spacing. We’d expect those four to play together a fair amount.
Other wings and guards will likely contribute. 6’6” forward Cam’Ron Fletcher came off the bench last year as their powerhouse presence while managing to shoot 36% from 3. Freshman guard Chandler Jackson fits the powerhouse mold that Hamilton looks for perfectly. The Seminoles have options.
Pairing with a guard like Warley better be some good big men. Hamilton churns out functional (yet not spectacular) bigs in droves. 7’4” sophomore Naheem McLeod shot 68% from the field last year. His minutes will be limited, but there are few players out there like him. Brown transfer Jaylan Gainey brings similar efficiency: he shot 70% from the field over the course of a three-year career in the Ivy League. Cameron Corhen and D’Ante Green were both top-100 recruits standing 6’10” or bigger.
The ace in the hole, however, is Baba Miller, a Spanish product who played for Real Madrid’s developmental team last year. Miller could be the next in a line of really big, skilled, toolsy one-and-dones to come through the system. Miller is listed at 6’11” and can do a little bit of everything: he’s athletic, agile, skilled as a passer, fluid as a finisher, able to hit stationary or spot-up shots, defends in a switching scheme, and can protect the rim as a shot blocker. Baba is the key for this entire team: if he’s as good as we believe he is, the Seminoles will once again have a stingy defense with enough depth and efficient scoring to make plays in the half-court. We’re really bought in.
2. North Carolina Tar Heels
Head Coach: Hubert Davis
Record Last Year: 29-10, t-2nd in ACC
Prospects to Watch: Caleb Love, RJ Davis, Pete Nance, Seth Trimble, Armando Bacot, Donovan Johnson, Leaky Black, D’Marco Dunn, Jalen Washington
Look, we aren’t trying to be ‘haters’. The Tar Heels made the Final Four last year and return a lot of pieces from that inspiring run. Brady Manek has moved on, while Kerwin White and Dawson Garcia have transferred out of Chapel Hill. The three key pieces to the run are back, though: Caleb Love (15.9 points) and RJ Davis (13.5 points) will run the backcourt, while Armando Bacot (16.3 points, 13.1 rebounds) is easily an All-American candidate. Leaky Black an elite wing defender. That trifecta alone places the Tar Heels in the top half of the league.
Northwestern transfer big Pete Nance will provide a different frontcourt punch next to Bacot than Manek did. While Nance can shoot, he’s not a knockdown, high-volume sniper. However, he’s a skilled defender in ways that Manek simply wasn’t, hopefully strengthening their attack all around. Donovan “Puff” Johnson is back to drill shots on the wing. Puff can play either the 3 or the 4 and gets hot in a hurry.
There are young guys on the team worth monitoring. Seth Trimble is a really good scoring guard; when one of Love or Davis sits, the offense shouldn’t take much of a step back. Sophomore D’Marco Dunn is talented and could carve out a larger role during year two. 6’10” big Jalen Washington is young as a freshman, though he’s likely the heir apparent to Bacot. Hubert hasn’t gone after the typical top-20 recruits en masse, rather he’s prioritizing the right fit and positions of need. We kinda dig it.
To be frank, we aren’t too fond of this team’s defense. They were 179th in the nation last year and beat teams by outscoring them with tons of 3-point floor-spacers around two electric guards and a lunch-pale big who lived on the glass. There’s also a history of teams returning a large chunk of their productivity following a deep tournament run and not living up to the hype next year. The Tar Heels had a sensational run, but we’re trying not to overreact to it and think they’ll always play that way.
1. Duke Blue Devils
Head Coach: Mike Krz… um, I mean, Jon Scheyer
Record Last Year: 32-7, 1st in ACC
Prospects to Watch: Dereck Lively, Dariq Whitehead, Tyrese Proctor, Kyle Filipowski, Mark Mitchell, Jeremy Roach, Jacob Grandison, Jaden Schutt, Jaylen Blakes
There’s just too much talent in Durham not to have the Blue Devils as the preseason number one. For all the fanfare about Coach K’s overdrawn goodbye, it’s probably a good thing Jon Scheyer is now in the driver’s seat. We’re expecting a modern offense, a few more proactive in-game adjustments and an approach to their defense that prevents them from switching to a 2-3 zone mid-January.
Three talented bigs highlight the best frontcourt in the nation. Oh, all three happen to be freshmen. Dereck Lively is the defender of the group, a 7’1” gazelle with rim protection and switching instincts. Pairing him with 6’10” stretch big Kyle Filipowski (oh by the way, Lively can shoot a bit too) helps the Devils space the floor and survive with a two-big look. Filipowski isn’t the quickest guy in the world, though he’s far from the perimeter disaster some might expect at his size. The odd man out is Mark Mitchell, an energy 6’9” forward with tremendous finishing potential. He’ll likely come off the bench and should be a nice spark for the second unit.
Dariq Whitehead may be the best scorer of all freshmen in the country. He’s got a great first step, can score on all three levels, trusts his pull-up, creates space for step-backs and is capable of making shots against airtight defenders. An underrated passer, Whitehead should be the late-clock option and a guy Scheyer trusts from day one. The Devils have good options at the point in Jeremy Roach and Tyrese Proctor; Proctor is an improving 3-point shooter, and if he’s making them consistently, his combination of talent and playmaking should see him surpass Roach in the rotation.
The role pieces are all exceptional and complement these foundational players well. Illinois transfer Jacob Grandison shot 40% from 3 each of the last two seasons and will play a big role at the 3. Ryan Young (Northwestern transfer) is a functional bench big man in case there are injuries, foul trouble, or just the need for a veteran presence on the floor. Freshman Jayden Schutt is a shooting specialist and has great functionality in any way that Scheyer would see fit for his playbook.
There are other guys we could discuss here, but you get the point. The Blue Devils have amassed top-tier talent with their freshmen, role players that understand what is asked and flank them well skill-wise, and have great passers at the point to keep the ball moving and create for everyone. It’s no wonder this is a trendy team to sit atop preseason polls!
All-ACC Awards
Player of the Year: Armando Bacot, North Carolina
Freshman of the Year: Dariq Whitehead, Duke
Coach of the Year: Leonard Hamilton, Florida State
First Team:
Caleb Love, North Carolina
Terquavion Smith, NC State
Dariq Whitehead, Duke
Jayden Gardner, Virginia
Armando Bacot, North Carolina
Second Team:
Nijel Pack, Miami (FL)
Isaiah Wong, Miami (FL)
Joe Girard, Syracuse
Matthew Cleveland, Florida State
Dereck Lively, Duke