This season the ACC is looking like the conference to be in 2014/2015. With the addition of Louisville replacing Maryland the ACC got that much stronger in the off-season. With coaches Rick Pitino, Mike Krzyzewski, and Roy Williams all active Basketball Hall of Fame inductees the ACC is full of great coaches and premiere players. Without further adieu here is the VAVEL.com ACC basketball season preview.
1. Duke
The Blue Devils also seem to be on top or at least around the top of the list coming into the season. Senior guard Quinn Cook will be the leader of this young Duke team. Last season Cook averaged 11.6 points a game, most of his points coming from 3-point range. With key losses Jabari Parker and Rodney Hood the Blue Devils will be looking to Cook to do more of the same if they want to be successful this season.
New addition Jahlil Okafor will be the game changer. Okafor will try and become the next freshman sensation this country will see as he takes on the roll of Jabari Parker. As Duke's top recruit Okafor will be the new guy to look on the floor for the Blue Devils. Coach Mike Krzyzewski also added point guard Tyrus Jones who was also one of ESPN's top ten recruits coming out of high school. Jones will hopefully provide some young leadership running the point. The Blue Devils also added guard Grayson Allen and Justise Winslow to help pace the offence and add depth to an already stacked recruiting class.
2. North Carolina
The Tar Heels come in at number two in the pre-season rankings. Guard Marcus Paige will be the go to guy in the offence once again this season. Last season Paige averaged 17.4 points a game, which was good enough to lead the Tar Heels. Key losses include James Michael McAdoo who averaged 14.2 points a game last season, as well as Leslie McDonald who provided 10.4 points.
The Tar Heels could have been in trouble but with new additions Justin Jackson, Theo Pinson, and Joel Berry the season is looking bright. All three recruits were McDonald's All Americans and provide some great young talent. Jackson and Pinson should be fun to look in the frontcourt as they try and help North Carolina go far in the NCAA tournament this season.
3. Louisville
The ACC's newest addition comes in at number three. Louisville will replace Maryland this coming season. Junior forward Montrezl Harrell will be the biggest impact returner that the Cardinals have. Last season Harrell came up big averaging 14 points a game, along with almost nine rebounds. The Cardinals did lose their biggest star Russ Smith who went to the NBA. Smith averaged 18.3 points a game and ran the offence.
New additions include Shaqquan Aaron, Quentin Snider, Chinanu Onuaku, and Anas Osama Mahmoud who were all ESPN top 100 recruits. Aaron will be the new guy to look for the Cardinals as he attempts to take over for the loss of Russ Smith.
4. Syracuse
The big question surrounding the Orange this season is whether somebody can come in and replace guard Tyler Ennis. Last season Ennis was everything for the Orange and was reward by being a top 20 pick in this years NBA draft. Ennis averaged 13 points a game along with close to six assists. The Orange also lost leading scorer C.J Fair and key starter Jerami Grant.
The new addition that will make or break Syracuse this season will be point guard Kaleb Joseph. Joseph is projected as the starter this season and is expected to make an instant impact. The Orange have also added forward Chris McCullough who is also expected to make an instant impact this coming season
5. Pittsburgh
Lamar Patterson graduated, leaving Pittsburgh without a player who ranked fifth in the ACC in scoring, assists and three-pointers made, eighth in field goal percentage and ninth in steals. The Panthers are going to be looking to Cameron Wright to fill the void. Last season Wright averaged 10.5 points a game.
Rough year of recruiting for coach Jamie Dixon as he only signed one notable player in Ryan Luther. Luther is a 6'9" product out of Allison Park, PA who will look to surprise some people this season.
6. Virginia
After shocking a lot of people last season by winning the ACC with a 16-2 conference record, the Cavaliers look to do more of the same this season. Their leading scorer and rebounder makes his return as Malcolm Brogdon comes back for his junior season. One key loss for the Cavaliers is second leading scorer Joe Harris who averaged 11.6 points a game.
Like Pittsburgh, Virginia also did not have a great recruiting class. The only promise, perhaps, is small forward Marial Shayok from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Canadian prospects have been the newest fad lately, and we will see if Shayok can be the next great Canadian baller.
7. Florida State
Like Virginia, the Seminoles also have their leading scorer coming back for another season in Aaron Thomas. Last season for Florida State Thomas averaged 14.5 points a game. One problem with Florida State is at point guard. Sophomore Dayshawn Watkins could fill the void early in the season as he looks to improve his role from last season.
The new addition of Xavier Rathan-Mayer will help fill the void for the loss of guard and second leading scorer Ian Miller. Rathan-Mayer is a multifaceted combo guard who should make an immediate impact after sitting out all of last season with an eligibility issue.
8. N.C. State
The Wolfpack probably experienced the biggest loss in the off-season with the departure of ACC leading scorer T.J. Warren who was a first round draft pick in this years NBA draft. N.C. State will miss him dearly but they do return the team's second leading scorer in Ralston Turner who averaged 10.2 points a game last season. Guard Tyler Lewis transferred to Butler so sophomore guard Cat Barber will have to step up and take over point duties.
New additions include Abdul-Malik Abu, Caleb Martin, and Cody Martin, all ESPN top 100 recruits. Abu will look to make an instant impact, as he will most likely start for the Wolfpack. The Martin brother will also both see a good amount of time this season as they try and become the next great brother tandem in the NCAA.
9. Miami
Looking to bounce back from a slightly above average record last season the Hurricanes sophomore guard Manu Lecomte who averaged 7.7 points a game last season. The key losses for Miami include their top two leading scorers Garrius Adams and Rion Brown. Kansas State transfer Angel Rodriguez will help compensate for the losses of Adams and Brown. Rodriguez was second team all-Big 12 two seasons ago and can be counted upon for strong play at both ends.
The biggest addition for the Hurricanes in the off-season was shooting guard Ja'Quan Newton who was ranked in the ESPN top 100 coming out of high school. Newton will provide some young talent that the Hurricanes can build on in the coming years.
10. Clemson
K.J. McDaniels will be severely missed as he led the Tigers in scoring, rebounding, steals, blocks, and three pointers last season. On the bright side Clemson has their second leading scorer coming back in Rod Hall who gave them close to 10 points a game last season. They also have second leading rebounder Landry Nnoko coming back. They will look to him to rebound again and as well carry the team in the blocked shot department.
Clemson struggled in the recruiting department this off-season. The Tigers brought in post grad forward Donte Grantham and shooting forward Gabe DeVoe. Grantham will help carry some of the load down low. DeVoe will help by providing a spark off the bench.
11. Notre Dame
After one of the worst seasons in recent memory the Irish will look to make a return to the elite of the ACC. The guy to look will be senior forward Pat Connaughton. Connaughton leads the Irish returnees in rebounds and assists. The Irish also have leading scorer Jerian Grant coming back who averaged 19 points a game last season.
Freshman Bonzie Colson will look to come in and make an immediate impact. The New Bedford, Massachusetts product has great size and loves to compete. Colson will look to win a starting role for the Irish's opening game as they take on Binghamton November 14th.
12. Boston College
Boston College has not had a good team in a long time, but this could be the year that the Eagles break out from the bottom of the pack in the ACC. Junior guard Olivier Hanlan will be the go to guy again this season as the Eagles lost second leading scorer Ryan Anderson after Jim Christian took over. Hanlan who was ACC Freshman of the Year two years ago averaged 18.5 points a game in his sophomore campaign.
Recruiting was not good for the Eagles, as it never is when a new coach is brought in during the off-season. Boston College did sign big man Idrissa Diallo who will provide some much needed size down low.
13. Wake Forest
The Demon Deacons return their two leading scorers in Codi Miller-McIntyre and Devin Thomas who gave them 12.6 and 11.1 points a game last season. Thomas will be the difference-maker. Thomas is the only starting front court player for the Demon Deacons because of that he is expected to take a leadership role this season.
Wake Forest like most of the teams low on the list did not have a good recruiting off-season. They did sign Mitch Wilbekin who will give them some depth at the point guard position.
14. Georgia Tech
Marcus Georges-Hunt will be the man to look for the Yellow Jackets this coming season. The junior guard gave Georgia Tech 11.7 points a game last year and will be expected to more this coming season. Georges-Hunt will be expected to play strong on both ends of the court.
The Yellow Jackets could have a bright future ahead of them with the signing of shooting guard Tadric Jackson in the off-season. Jackson was ranked in ESPN's top 100 coming out of high school and will give Georgia Tech some great minuites off the bench this coming season.
15. Virginia Tech
Some tough luck for Virginia Tech as they lost their top three scorers to graduation. The Hokies do return sophomore guard Devin Wilson who averaged 9.2 points a game last season. Wilson also averaged close to 35 minutes last season. The Hokies will look to him to be a young leader
Young talent will the name of the game for the Hokies this coming season. They signed two top 100 recruits in the off-season in Ahmed Hill and Justin Bibbs. Both Hill and Bibbs will play crucial roles this season, because of the hack of depth at Virginia Tech.
Preseason All ACC First Team
PG- Marcus Paige- North Carolina
SG- Olivier Hanlan- Boston College
SF- Jerian Grant- Notre Dame
PF- Montrezl Harrell- Louisville
C- Jahlil Okafor- Duke
Preseason All ACC Second Team
PG- Terry Rozier- Louisville
SG- Tyus Jones- Duke
SF- Malcolm Brogdon- Virginia
PF- Justin Anderson- Virginia
C- Justin Jackson- North Carolina