Louisville basketball: Post NBA Draft deadline ACC power rankings
By Jacob Lane
10. Georgia Tech
Departing: Abdoulaye Gueye, Brandon Alston, Curtis Haywood (Transfer – Tulsa)
Notable returnees: Jose Alvarado, James Banks II, Mike DeVoe
Newcomers: Asanti Price
Most ACC power rankings out there have Georgia Tech ranked somewhere between 12 and 15, so I guess you could say I’m a bit higher on the Yellow Jackets than others.
Josh Pastner’s team showed promise last season despite being young behind breakout seasons from Jose Alvarado and the ACC’s leading shot blocker, James Banks. Both are back for 2019-2020 along with Mike DeVoe, a former top-100 recruit and Tennessee transfer Shembari Phillips.
The overall depth/talent on the bench will be a question mark as will the lack of incoming freshmen (’19 recruiting class is ranked as the ACC’s worst according to 247 Sports), but if Banks can grow as an inside scorer and the dynamic backcourt of DeVoe and Alvarado can take another step forward, the Yellow Jackets could be a fringe tournament team which would likely save Pastner’s job.
9. Miami
Departing: Dewan Hernandez (NBA Draft), Anthony Lawrence, Zach Johnson
Notable returnees: Chris Lykes, Dejan Vasilijevic
Newcomers: Kameron McGusty (Transfer – Oklahoma), Harlond Beverly, Isaiah Wong
Jim Larranaga and the Miami Hurricanes already know what it’s like to play without their star player, Dewan Hernandez, who was ruled ineligible last season and is now off to the NBA, so life without him won’t likely lead to a rough adjustment.
After going 5-13 in the ACC last season, the Hurricanes will be looking for a bounce-back season behind junior guard Chris Lykes and Kameron McGusty, who will be eligible after transferring from Oklahoma. However, losing graduate transfer Zach Johnson and forward Anthony Lawrence will hurt.
Larranaga will have some nice new pieces in Harlond Beverly and Isaiah Wong, but in total it will still be a top-heavy roster with Lykes, McGusty, and Dejan Vasilijevic being relied upon for the majority of the scoring. The Hurricanes will also lack a true inside presence without Lawrence and Ebuka Izundu, and will need redshirt junior Rodney Miller Jr. and Deng Gak to become reliable if there’s any chance to become a tournament team.
8. Syracuse
Departing: Tyus Battle, Oshae Brissett, Frank Howard, Paschal Chukwu
Notable returnees: Elijah Hughes, Marek Dolezaj, Buddy Boeheim
Newcomers: Brycen Goodine, Quincey Gurrier, Joe Girard
Syracuse loses three of their top four scorers heading into 2019-2020 and will rely upon senior guard Elijah Hughes to continue growing as a scorer while hoping he can become a more efficient player overall.
Expect sophomore guard Buddy Boeheim to become a go-to scorer as well for the Orange, and for incoming freshman Brycen Goodine, Quincey Gurrier, and Joe Girard to become legitimate scoring threats for Jim Boeheim as well.
Losing 7’2 big man Paschal Chukwu will also be a big blow to their interior defense especially inside the patented Boeheim zone.
7. Notre Dame
Departing: DJ Harvey (Transfer),
Notable returnees: John Mooney, TJ Gibbs, Rex Pflueger, Prentiss Hubb, Juwan Durham, Nate Laszewski
Newcomers: n/a
If you’re looking for an off the radar team who could sneak into the top four of the ACC, look no further than Notre Dame.
The 2018-19 season was one that featured tons of injuries as well as development, considering there were five freshmen on the roster for Mike Brey. Not having top returning scorer Rex Pflueger, who tore his ACL, was tough but it allowed for TJ Gibbs, Prentiss Hubb, and Dane Goodwin to play a lot and learn through their mistakes.
With coaching legend Mike Brey still at the helm, big man John Mooney and guards TJ Gibbs and Rex Pflueger back for 2019-2020, along with five “seasoned” veterans the Fighting Irish are likely to return to the tournament after missing out last season.
6. Florida State
Departing: Mfiondu Kabengele (NBA Draft), Terance Mann, Christ Koumadje, Phil Cofer
Notable returnees: Trent Forrest, M.J. Walker
Newcomers: Patrick Williams, Balsa Koprivica, Dominik Olejniczak (Grad transfer – Ole Miss)
Florida State is another ACC team that has been hit hard by players departing either for the NBA Draft or via graduation, but unlike several others on this list, they are prepared to bounce back due to some great recruiting by Leonard Hamilton and staff.
Losing ACC Sixth Man of the Year and likely first-rounder Mfindu Kabengele, who was the heartbeat of last year’s team as well as 7’3″ Christ Koumadje will really hurt FSU’s ability to do what they do inside both offensively and defensively, but adding in four-star, skilled big man Balsa Koprivica and Ole Miss graduate transfer Dominik Olejniczak should soften the blow.
Trent Forrest, who came on late in the season and was a huge part of Florida State’s run in the ACC Tournament and the NCAA Tournament is back for his senior season and should be one of the top point guards in the ACC.M.J. Walker, a former five-star recruit, could finally take the next big step in his career that the folks in Tallahassee have been waiting on.