Louisville basketball: Post NBA Draft deadline ACC power rankings

1. North Carolina

Departing: Coby White (NBA Draft), Cameron Johnson, Luke Maye, Nassir Little (NBA Draft), Kenny Williams, Seventh Woods (Transfer)

Notable returnees: Garrison Brooks, Brandon Robinson

Newcomers: Cole Anthony, Armando Bacot, Christian Keeling (Grad transfer – Charleston Southern), Justin Pierce (Grad transfer – William & Mary), Anthony Harris, Jeremiah Francis

I went back and forth between Louisville and North Carolina, and I just kept coming back to two things; Cole Anthony and Roy Williams.

Most teams can’t withstand losing talented players like Coby White, Cameron Johnson, Nassir Little, and Luke Maye, three of which could be first rounders come June, but North Carolina will do just that with arguably the nation’s top player in Cole Anthony along with five-star big man Armando Bacot and mid-major graduate transfers, Justin Pierce and Christian Keeling.

The Tar Heels will have one of the most dynamic players at the helm for the second year in a row in Anthony, who will likely be a lite version of Zion Williamson, in terms of hype, and with Keeling, Pierce, Anthony Harris, Brandon Robinson, and Andrew Platek, Roy Williams’ team in 2019-2020 could be even better than they were a year ago.

Bacot and Brooks should be a formidable duo inside with the capabilities of going head-to-head with the top frontcourt units like Duke, Louisville, and Virginia, and while replacing Luke Maye won’t be easy by any stretch of the imagination, the duo mentioned above teamed with Sterling Manley, could be reminiscent of some of the Roy Williams led teams of old.

Experience at the ACC level might be an issue with their top players, but with several conciliary players returning there should be enough continuity to get through the season and catch fire late, similar to last season.