Back with more offseason roster resets today for NC State and North Carolina as we work through all 18 ACC rosters alphabetically. If you missed any previous, check them out at these links:
- Boston College
- California
- Clemson
- Duke
- Florida State
- Georgia Tech
- Louisville
- Miami
- Notre Dame
- Pittsburgh
- SMU
- Stanford
- Syracuse
- Virginia
- Virginia Tech
- Wake Forest
As always, let me know anything I missed or needed updates, and of course share your thoughts in the thread.
NC State
| Departures | PG DJ Horne (Graduated) | 40 G, 32.6 mpg, 16.9 ppg, 2.1 apg, 40% 3P% | |
| G LJ Thomas (Transferred to Austin Peay) | 12 G, 7.5 mpg, 2.6 ppg, 0.8 apg, 57% 3P% | ||
| G Kam Woods (Transferred to Robert Morris) | 13 G, 7.5 mpg, 1.2 ppg, 0.2 apg, 40% 3P% | ||
| SG Casey Morsell (Graduated) | 41 G, 32.5 mpg, 11.1 ppg, 1.6 apg, 27% 3P% | ||
| G/F MJ Rice (Left Program) | 9 G, 8.8 mpg, 4.1 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 23% 3P% | ||
| PF Mohamed Diarra (Turned Pro) | 40 G, 22.1 mpg, 6.3 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 48% FG% | ||
| PF Ernest Ross (Left Program) | 14 G, 3.4 mpg, 0.3 ppg, 0.4 rpg, 18% FG% | ||
| C D.J. Burns (Graduated) | 41 G, 24.9 mpg, 12.9 ppg, 4 rpg, 53% FG% | ||
| Returners | PG Breon Pass (SR) | 31 G, 5.3 mpg, 1.3 ppg, 0.3 apg, 33% 3P% | |
| G Michael O’Connell (SR+) | 41 G, 25 mpg, 5.7 ppg, 3.2 apg, 38% 3P% | ||
| SG Jayden Taylor (SR) | 41 G, 27.3 mpg, 11.2 ppg, 1.3 apg, 36% 3P% | ||
| F Dennis Parker (SO) | 29 G, 15.4 mpg, 4.7 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 31% 3P% | ||
| F/C Ben Middlebrooks (SR) | 41 G, 16.3 mpg, 5.7 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 49% FG% | ||
| Additions | SG Marcus Hill (SR Transfer, Bowling Green) | 34 G, 36.3 mpg, 20.5 ppg, 2.6 apg, 29% 3P% | |
| SG Trey Parker (3-star FR) | |||
| G/F Bryce Heard (4-star FR) | |||
| SF Michael James (RS JR Transfer, Louisville) | 32 G, 33.3 mpg, 12.6 ppg, 5 rpg, 34% 3P% | ||
| SF Paul McNeil (4-star FR) | |||
| F Dontrez Styles (SR Transfer, Georgetown) | 32 G, 33.5 mpg, 12.8 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 37% 3P% | ||
| PF Ismael Diouf (JR Transfer, Canada) | |||
| F/C Brandon Huntley-Hatfield (SR Transfer, Louisville) | 32 G, 30.8 mpg, 12.9 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 57% FG% |
The Wolfpack hope to buck the trend set by UNC and Miami in recent years where Final Four appearances were followed by missing the NCAA Tournament entirely. Four key stars from last season either graduated or turned pro, but four other contributors to the Final Four run do return, so Kevin Keatts has a solid foundation to work with as he looks to integrate eight new faces. Expectations will be high.
Super-senior Michael O’Connell, a part-time starter last season, is the closest thing to a true point guard on the Wolfpack this coming year, and coupled with his respectable 3-point shot should have a strong chance to seize a starting spot alongside returning scoring guard Jayden Taylor. Bowling Green transfer Marcus Hill put up big numbers but on middling efficiency in the MAC; EvanMiya had him very low in the transfer ratings as a result and he is little threat from deep. The prize transfer on the printer is Michael James from Louisville who should step immediately into a starting role as feature scorer. Returning Breon Pass will compete with three freshmen (Trey Parker, Bryce Heard, and Paul McNeil) for bench roles.
At wing-4, Keatts will have a good camp battle between promising sophomore Dennis Parker and Georgetown transfer Dontrez Styles. The combination should give the Pack excellent spacing and defensive versatility. Former 5-star Brandon Huntley-Hatfield joins James in transferring from Louisville to take over the center spot and will be supported by capable veteran backup Ben Middlebrooks.
Obviously no one outside Raleigh is expecting the Pack to repeat their Final Four run. But there are enough pieces in place to be competitive in the ACC again. I’m not sure anyone on this roster will be as good as DJ Horne was, but this roster does boast eight players in at least their 4th year in college. No reason not to expect the Pack to push for another winning league record, but probably top out as a #6 or 8 NCAAT seed. Keatts’ history as a Bubble coach is what it is.
North Carolina
| Departures | G/F Cormac Ryan (Graduated) | 36 G, 30.3 mpg, 11.5 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 35% 3P% | |
| G/F Paxson Wojcik (Graduated) | 32 G, 8.3 mpg, 1.6 ppg, 1 rpg, 23% 3P% | ||
| F Harrison Ingram (Turned Pro) | 37 G, 32.8 mpg, 12.2 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 39% 3P% | ||
| C Armando Bacot (Graduated) | 37 G, 30.4 mpg, 14.5 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 54% FG% | ||
| C James Okonkwo (Transferred to Akron) | 15 G, 2.9 mpg, 1 ppg, 1 rpg, 56% FG% | ||
| Returners | PG Elliot Cadeau (SO) | 37 G, 23.8 mpg, 7.3 ppg, 4.1 apg, 19% 3P% | |
| G RJ Davis (SR+) | 37 G, 34.8 mpg, 21.2 ppg, 3.5 apg, 40% 3P% | ||
| G Seth Trimble (JR) | 35 G, 17.1 mpg, 5.2 ppg, 0.9 apg, 42% 3P% | ||
| PF Jae’lyn Withers (SR+) | 37 G, 12.4 mpg, 4.2 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 54% FG% | ||
| F/C Jalen Washington (JR) | 37 G, 8.3 mpg, 3.9 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 70% FG% | ||
| F/C Zayden High (SO) | 23 G, 4.5 mpg, 0.8 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 32% FG% | ||
| Additions | G/F Ian Jackson (5-star FR) | ||
| SF Drake Powell (5-star FR) | |||
| F Cade Tyson (JR Transfer, Belmont) | 31 G, 31.6 mpg, 16.2 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 47% 3P% | ||
| PF Ven-Allen Lubin (JR Transfer, Vanderbilt) | 26 G, 28.2 mpg, 12.3 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 50% FG% | ||
| F/C Tyzhaun Claude (SR+ Transfer, Georgia Tech) | 32 G, 17.4 mpg, 4.8 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 50% FG% | ||
| F/C James Brown (3-star FR) |
Last season was a strong year all around in Chapel Hill, winning the ACC regular season outright and nabbing an NCAAT #1 seed, though many may have feelings of unfinished business after losing in the Sweet 16. UNC lost only three key players from that roster (Bacot, Ryan, and Ingram) meaning there’s a strong returning core for Hubert Davis to work with this season.
Any coach in D-1 would kill to return his starting backcourt from a winning team, and Davis is doing just that with both former top prospects RJ Davis and Elliot Cadeau back. There was a degree of streakiness to their games last year, and Cadeau needs to take another step forward as floor general, but all in all it’s a strong start for UNC.
Rounding out the perimeter, UNC will lean hard on a pair of Top 15 prospects with consensus one-and-done potential. Drake Powell and Ian Jackson are both next-level athletes who thrive in the open court and attacking the rim, though of course Davis will need them to accelerate their defensive readiness.
UNC scored three high-level front court transfers: face-up forward Cade Tyson from Belmont, physical interior Vanderbilt power forward Ven-Allen Lubin, and veteran dirty-work big Tyzhaun Claude from ACC rival GT. The latter two will both play as undersized centers pending how depth shakes out behind them, as none of Jae’lyn Withers, Jalen Washington, or Zayden High showed much consistency last year.
The thing no one really talks about with Davis’ young tenure is that he’s struggled to get his high school recruits to excel. He’s done well with legacy Roy Williams players as well as proven high major transfers. But this is a year where he needs his younger former 4- and 5-stars like Cadeau, Washington, High, Jackson, and/or Powell to live up to their lofty billings.
UNC is probably a safe bet for a Top 4 finish, but I’ve got just enough in the way of questions with post depth and the readiness of young blue chips to fall short of predicting they challenge Duke for the league’s #1 spot.