Hey all, back with offseason roster resets for FSU and Georgia Tech today as I work through all 18 ACC rosters alphabetically. If you missed any previous, check them out at these links:
As always, let me know anything I missed or needed updates, and of course share your thoughts in the thread.
Florida State
| Departures | PG Primo Spears (Transferred to UTSA) | 24 G, 22.7 mpg, 10.6 ppg, 2.1 apg, 27% 3P% | |
| G Jalen Warley (Transferred to Virginia) | 33 G, 24.1 mpg, 7.5 ppg, 2.8 apg, 14% 3P% | ||
| SG Darin Green (Graduated) | 32 G, 30 mpg, 11.3 ppg, 1 apg, 38% 3P% | ||
| SG Josh Nickelberry (Graduated) | 32 G, 9.3 mpg, 2.5 ppg, 0.2 apg, 26% 3P% | ||
| SF Cam’Ron Fletcher (Transferred to Xavier) | 7 G, 15.9 mpg, 6.7 ppg, 5 rpg, 29% 3P% | ||
| F Tom House (Transferred to Furman) | 23 G, 3.7 mpg, 1.4 ppg, 0.4 rpg, 47% 3P% | ||
| PF Baba Miller (Transferred to FAU) | 33 G, 24.8 mpg, 7.6 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 45% FG% | ||
| PF Jaylan Gainey (Graduated) | 28 G, 10.6 mpg, 2.8 ppg, 2 rpg, 63% FG% | ||
| F/C Cameron Corhen (Transferred to Pittsburgh) | 28 G, 21.3 mpg, 9.4 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 63% FG% | ||
| F/C De’Ante Green (Transferred to South Florida) | 31 G, 11.9 mpg, 4.5 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 51% FG% | ||
| Returners | G/F Chandler Jackson (JR) | 31 G, 14.6 mpg, 4.9 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 29% 3P% | |
| F Jamir Watkins (SR) | 33 G, 28.1 mpg, 15.6 ppg, 6 rpg, 34% 3P% | ||
| PF Taylor Bol Bowen (SO) | 31 G, 10.9 mpg, 3.1 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 46% FG% | ||
| Additions | PG Daquan Davis (4-star FR) | ||
| G/F AJ Swinton (3-star FR) | |||
| SF Bostyn Holt (SR+ Transfer, South Dakota) | 32 G, 31.3 mpg, 12.3 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 39% 3P% | ||
| F Anastasios Rozakeas (3-star FR) | |||
| PF Christian Nitu (3-star FR) | |||
| PF Alier Maluk (3-star FR) | |||
| PF Jerry Deng (SO Transfer, Hampton) | 33 G, 21.9 mpg, 10.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 46% FG% | ||
| F/C Malique Ewin (JR Transfer, JUCO) | |||
| C Waka Mbatch (3-star RS FR) |
Plenty of ACC teams this year had a tough offseason, with lots of roster turnover and last-minute spots to fill. But FSU is unique in that it’s still trying to build out the ability to play 5-on-5 in practice in late July. That FSU hasn’t yet officially updated their website’s roster to 2024-25 is telling.
Few non-Nole fans have been a bigger Leonard Hamilton booster than me, but following a frustrating 17-16 (10-10) season, I do have to wonder why six key rotation players chose to transfer out, when many were in line for big roles this year and FSU would’ve benefitted from their continuity. But equally problematic for FUS was their struggle to backfill the exodus.
At the point, the ball is basically by default being given to Top 100 freshman Daquan Davis, maybe the only true guard on the roster at this point. Joining him in the backcourt rotation with will be promoting scoring guard Chandler Jackson who will need to make a big leap in contributions as an upperclassman. 3-star rookie wing AJ Swinton and/or Greek rookie Anastasios Rozakeas, a late summer addition, will likely be pushed into meaningful action in reserve.
If FSU is going to do much this year, it’s at the forward spots that they’ll need to make hay. Jamir Watkins is the only ACC-level proven star they’ve got on this year’s roster, the former VCU Ram and last year’s leading scorer capable of playing either the 3 or the 4. They’ll look to a pair of low-major transfers to be ready for the jump in competition level in South Dakota’s Bostyn Holt and Hampton’s Jerry Deng, though neither crack the Top 750 in EvanMiya’s transfer portal rankings. A few rookie forwards are available though their immediate readiness is a big question: Alier Maluk was a last minute reclassification from the 2025 class, and Christian Nitu is ranked outside 247’s Top 200.
National #1 JuCo prospect 6’10" Malique Ewin will inherit the center spot, actually an intriguing prospect for the Noles who started his career as a 4-star recruit at Ole Miss, with Deng dropping down to the 5 when Ewin sits. There’s no real insurance here, though, aside from the rookies if these guys miss any time.
Long story short, this currently looks like a very painful year in Tallahassee, one that could foreshadow the end of Hamilton’s career. They’ll steal a few games here and there, but I’m not sure there’s another team in the ACC they finish ahead of.
Georgia Tech
| Departures | G Kyle Sturdivant (Graduated) | 32 G, 20.7 mpg, 8.8 ppg, 2.8 apg, 39% 3P% | |
| G/F Miles Kelly (Transferred to Auburn) | 32 G, 31.8 mpg, 13.9 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 32% 3P% | ||
| G/F Amaree Abram (Transferred to Louisiana Tech) | 10 G, 10.8 mpg, 3.4 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 20% 3P% | ||
| G/F Carter Murphy (Graduated) | 14 G, 7.8 mpg, 1.8 ppg, 0.7 rpg, 37% 3P% | ||
| SF Dallan Coleman (Transferred to UCF) | 28 G, 18.6 mpg, 5.9 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 34% 3P% | ||
| F Ibrahima Sacko (Transferred to New Mexico) | 20 G, 11.4 mpg, 2.2 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 29% 3P% | ||
| PF Tafara Gapare (Transferred to Maryland) | 29 G, 18.2 mpg, 5.1 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 35% FG% | ||
| F/C Tyzhaun Claude (Transferred, destination UNC) | 32 G, 17.4 mpg, 4.8 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 50% FG% | ||
| C Ebenezer Dowuona (Transferred to James Madison) | 18 G, 9.6 mpg, 1 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 43% FG% | ||
| Returners | G Naithan George (SO) | 29 G, 29.8 mpg, 9.8 ppg, 4.7 apg, 31% 3P% | |
| G Lance Terry (SR+) | 29 G, 29.6 mpg, 10.1 ppg, 1.2 apg, 39% 3P% in 2022-23 | ||
| SF Kowacie Reeves (SR) | 32 G, 28.8 mpg, 9.8 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 38% 3P% | ||
| F/C Baye Ndongo (SO) | 29 G, 27.8 mpg, 12.4 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 56% FG% | ||
| Additions | G Javian McCollum (SR Transfer, Oklahoma) | 30 G, 31.1 mpg, 13.3 ppg, 3.4 apg, 31% 3P% | |
| SG Jaeden Mustaf (4-star FR) | |||
| F Luke O’Brien (SR+ Transfer, Colorado) | 35 G, 23.6 mpg, 6.7 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 38% 3P% | ||
| PF Darrion Sutton (4-star FR) | |||
| PF Ibrahim Souare (3-star RS FR) | |||
| PF Duncan Powell (RS JR Transfer, Sacramento State) | 29 G, 26.5 mpg, 12.1 ppg, 7 rpg, 49% FG% | ||
| F/C Doryan Onwuchekwa (3-star FR) | |||
| C Ryan Mutombo (SR Transfer, Georgetown) | 15 G, 3.7 mpg, 0.7 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 38% FG% |
While a quick look at last season’s record for the Yellow Jackets looks disappointing, going just 14-18 (7-13) and getting knocked out of the ACCT in their first game by Notre Dame, there actually were a few reasons for optimism in Damon Stoudamire’s first season as head coach in Atlanta. Obviously seeing seven transfers out is some cause for concern, though aside from volume scorer Miles Kelly and maybe athletic but inefficient forward Tafara Gapare, most of these losses were probably in Stoudamire’s long term best interest as he looks to improve the Jackets’ talent level.
Georgia Tech will lean on last year’s rookie breakout PG Naithan George, robbed of a spot on the league’s all-freshman team after finishing 2nd in the ACC in assists per game (behind only Reece Beekman of course). George may be asked to pick up his shooting a bit to keep defenses honest, but I still expect him to be pass-first again this year. Quality transfer Javian McCollum will likely take over Miles Kelly’s role as ball-dominant scoring threat after a solid debut season in the Big XII (he spent his first two years at Siena). The Jackets will get a boost from the return of plus-shooting guard Lance Terry, who missed last season with a calf injury, as well as Top 75 recruit Jaeden Mustaf, giving GT a quality depth chart at the guard spots.
Former Florida transfer Kowacie Reeves returns to start at small forward ready to become a more dominant scoring threat in his final season of eligibility. In competition for the rest of the forward rotation spots will be5th year forward Luke O’Brien from Colorado, Top 100 recruit Darrion Sutton, redshirted freshman Ibrahim Souare, and Sacramento State power forward Duncan Powell. It’s uncertain who the breakouts here will be, but at a bare minimum there’s a solid set of options for Stoudamire to work with.
All-ACC Freshman team big man Baye Ndongo is ready to take another step forward this year at the 5-spot, maybe the ACC’s best incumbent center. Georgia Tech will hope one of Georgetown transfer Ryan Mutombo or 3-star Doryan Onwuchekwa can surprise as backup; as of right now, that looks like a question mark.
At the end of the day, the combination of George up top and Ndongo at the 5-spot has the potential to follow a similar career arc of Jose Alvarado and Moses Wright. Obviously they’re still in the first half of that progression, but with some quality talent upgrades both at other starting spots as well as off the bench, this should absolutely be a year we look to Stoudamire to improve GT’s results, with a .500 league finish and NIT bid being a quality target for the season.
