Back with more offseason roster resets today, recapping Syracuse and our very own Virginia Cavaliers as we work through all 18 ACC rosters alphabetically. If you missed any others, check them out at these links:
- Boston College
- California
- Clemson
- Duke
- Florida State
- Georgia Tech
- Louisville
- Miami
- NC State
- North Carolina
- Notre Dame
- Pittsburgh
- SMU
- Stanford
- Virginia Tech
- Wake Forest
As always, let me know anything I missed or needed updates, and of course share your thoughts in the thread.
Syracuse
| Departures | G Judah Mintz (Turned Pro) | 32 G, 33.9 mpg, 18.8 ppg, 4.4 apg, 28% 3P% | |
| SF Quadir Copeland (Transferred to McNeese State) | 32 G, 22.4 mpg, 9.6 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 25% 3P% | ||
| SF Justin Taylor (Transferred to JMU) | 32 G, 23.2 mpg, 5 ppg, 4 rpg, 30% 3P% | ||
| F Benny Williams (Transferred to UCF) | 18 G, 17.1 mpg, 5.4 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 21% 3P% | ||
| PF Maliq Brown (Transferred to Duke) | 32 G, 29.6 mpg, 9.5 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 70% FG% | ||
| C Peter Carey (Transferred to Siena) | 14 G, 5 mpg, 0.6 ppg, 0.9 rpg, 29% FG% | ||
| C Mounir Hima (Transferred to Howard) | 13 G, 3.3 mpg, 0.3 ppg, 0.5 rpg, 67% FG% | ||
| Returners | G Kyle Cuffe (RS SO) | 29 G, 10.8 mpg, 3.2 ppg, 0.5 apg, 34% 3P% | |
| SG JJ Starling (JR) | 32 G, 34.4 mpg, 13.3 ppg, 1.9 apg, 32% 3P% | ||
| F Chris Bell (JR) | 32 G, 27 mpg, 12 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 42% 3P% | ||
| C Naheem McLeod (SR+) | 14 G, 14.6 mpg, 3.9 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 59% FG% | ||
| Additions | PG Jaquan Carlos (SR Transfer, Hofstra) | 33 G, 35.5 mpg, 10.4 ppg, 6.3 apg, 34% 3P% | |
| SG Elijah Moore (4-star FR) | |||
| G/F Lucas Taylor (SR Transfer, Georgia State) | 31 G, 30.7 mpg, 14.5 ppg, 3 rpg, 35% 3P% | ||
| SF Chance Westry (RS SO Transfer, Auburn) | 11 G, 9.5 mpg, 2.5 ppg, 0.7 rpg, 0% 3P% in 2022-23 | ||
| F Jyare Davis (SR Transfer, Delaware) | 32 G, 33.2 mpg, 17.1 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 26% 3P% | ||
| PF Donnie Freeman (5-star FR) | |||
| F/C Petar Majstorovic (3-star FR) | |||
| C Eddie Lampkin (SR+ Transfer, Colorado) | 37 G, 27.8 mpg, 10.6 ppg, 7 rpg, 58% FG% |
The first year of the Adrian Autry era at Syracuse didn’t look that much different than the late-stage Boeheim years. There was a solid-looking collection of talent but a concerning lack of playable depth (including a 3-game ACC stretch with only 6 players used) resulting in a .500-ish league finish. In looking to build off last year’s 20-12 (11-9) record, Autry had to contend with a frustrating exodus of high level talent when Judah Mintz went pro despite knowing he’d go undrafted and Maliq Brown left to ring-chase with Duke. Justin Taylor, who started every game and was likely in line for another big role, elected to drop down to JMU.
The backcourt will build around returning shooting guard JJ Starling who had a solid showing last year in his first season at Syracuse, a well balanced scorer with good size who should take over much of Mintz’s vacated backcourt scoring responsibility. Sliding into the point guard role will be Hofstra transfer Jaquan Carlos, one of the best passers in the CAA last year who also finished on the league’s all-Defense team. This will also be a big growth opportunity year for Kyle Cuffe, a former 4-star recruit who lost the 2022-23 season to knee surgery and was arguably shaking the rust off last year, and Top 100 rookie Elijah Moore will push to contribute as well.
On the wing, few ACC teams have a veteran scorer to build around like Chris Bell (formerly Bunch), who was Top 10 in the league last year in eFG% while taking immaculate care of the ball, and who boasts the size to play either the 3 or the 4 equally well. One-and-done candidate Donnie Freeman will have a shot at the 4-spot, a smooth athlete who should excel in the lane with the spacing Bell’s shooting provides. Three additional transfers will compete for the rotation in Delaware’s Jyare Davis, Georgia State’s Lucas Taylor, and former 4-star Chance Westry who missed last season with a knee injury. Autry has no shortage of pieces to work with here.
The five spot was reinforced with the massive 6’11" 265lb addition of Colorado’s Eddie Lampkin, a proven high major post scoring and rebounding presence. The Orange do have depth questions behind him, though, with returning Naheem McLeod recovering from foot surgery and late-summer Euro addition Petar Majstorovic needing to adjust quickly to US ball. If they struggle, Autry will be rolling out a decisively undersized front court for long stretches.
Aside from the center depth question, the Orange do once again have a plus roster on paper. At least 10 of the 11 guys currently projected on scholarship look able to contribute (McLeod’s recovery being the only outstanding question). But is this the year a good “on paper” roster turns into a dominant regular season for Syracuse? Best bet is another top-half finish but likely still outside the top tier.
Virginia
| Departures | PG Reece Beekman (Turned Pro) | 34 G, 32.8 mpg, 14.3 ppg, 6.2 apg, 31% 3P% | |
| PG Dante Harris (Transferred) | 24 G, 13.7 mpg, 2.5 ppg, 1.4 apg, 10% 3P% | ||
| F Ryan Dunn (Turned Pro) | 34 G, 27.5 mpg, 8.1 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 20% 3P% | ||
| F Leon Bond (Transferred to Northern Iowa) | 24 G, 12.3 mpg, 4.1 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 50% 3P% | ||
| PF Jacob Groves (Graduated) | 34 G, 20.3 mpg, 7.4 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 45% FG% | ||
| C Jordan Minor (Graduated) | 32 G, 14.7 mpg, 4.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 47% FG% | ||
| Returners | SG Isaac McKneely (JR) | 33 G, 32.4 mpg, 12.3 ppg, 1.6 apg, 45% 3P% | |
| G/F Andrew Rohde (JR) | 33 G, 25.2 mpg, 4.3 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 26% 3P% | ||
| SF Taine Murray (SR) | 33 G, 13.6 mpg, 3.3 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 45% 3P% | ||
| C Blake Buchanan (SO) | 34 G, 15 mpg, 3.4 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 41% FG% | ||
| Redshirting | SG Elijah Gertrude (SO) | 16 G, 9.4 mpg, 3.4 ppg, 0.4 apg, 7% 3P% | |
| Additions | PG Christian Bliss (4-star RS FR) | ||
| G Dai Dai Ames (SO Transfer, Kansas State) | 31 G, 20.6 mpg, 5.2 ppg, 2 apg, 33% 3P% | ||
| G Jalen Warley (SR Transfer, Florida State) | 33 G, 24.1 mpg, 7.5 ppg, 2.8 apg, 14% 3P% | ||
| SF Ishan Sharma (3-star FR) | |||
| F TJ Power (SO Transfer, Duke) | 26 G, 7 mpg, 2.1 ppg, 0.7 rpg, 36% 3P% | ||
| PF Elijah Saunders (JR Transfer, San Diego State) | 37 G, 20.2 mpg, 6.2 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 42% FG% | ||
| PF Jacob Cofie (4-star FR) | |||
| F/C Anthony Robinson (3-star RS FR) | |||
| C Carter Lang (SO Transfer, Vanderbilt) | 24 G, 11.6 mpg, 1.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 43% FG% |
Since Virginia’s 2019 national title, the Cavaliers have been steadily trending backwards towards the pack, recently having plateaued the last few seasons as a borderline NCAAT-quality program that’s lacked the kind of consistency and star power it boasted during Tony Bennett’s peak seasons. UVA loses four key pieces to graduation and the NBA, and will look to a number of younger role players and upside-focused transfers to gel quickly.
Two former four star center prospects will compete at the lead guard spots. Veteran FSU transfer Jalen Warley is a Ben Simmons type jumbo point without being a real threat from deep but did rank a respectable 16th in the ACC in assist rate last year. Kansas State transfer Dai Dai Ames had a spotty rookie campaign in the Big XII but did improve down the stretch, starting the Wildcats’ last 13 games. Warley’s experience probably gives him the starting edge, but expect both to play heavy minutes.
They’ll be able to lean on proven shooting guard Isaac McKneely at shooting guard, one of college basketball’s most established volume shooters, and he’ll look to become an even more well-rounded scorer as he becomes an upperclassman. Competition for the remaining perimeter spots will be wide open this summer after former Summit League ROY Andrew Rohde struggled mightily in his rapid ascent to the ACC last year. Former 4-star international small forward Taine Murray has looked good in limited spurts thus far in his career and could try to go out strong, while a pair of rookies in the redshirted Christian Bliss and sharp-shooting Canadian Ishan Sharma try to crash the party.
Bennett will have a pair of intriguing options to work with at the 4-spot. Elijah Saunders is the presumptive starting power forward after he was a part time starter on an excellent San Diego State team (KenPom #22 finish with a Sweet 16 run; Saunders blew up a lot from his freshman to his sophomore season so there’s reason to believe there’s more growth in his game still to come. Supporting him is Duke transfer and former 5-star TJ Power, a long sniper who will need to prove he can handle defense in an expanded role after only playing double-digit minutes in three ACC games last year. Blake Buchanan, another former 4-star, steps into a starting role at center after a promising freshman year off the bench, but the backup 5-spot is a big concern with only a pair of rookies to work with in Jacob Cofie and the redshirted Anthony Robinson. Carter Lang was a role player at Vanderbilt but is expected to take only a walk-on role at UVA.
Virginia hasn’t finished at or below .500 in ACC play since the 2010-11 season, a streak that ties Coach K for the 2nd longest in league history (Dean Smith’s 33 seasons isn’t being touched). UVA has a lot of uncertainty as it fails to return an incumbent point guard for the first time since London Perrantes arrived. There’s lots of talent, with 8 former 4- or 5-stars, and depth with maybe 12 or 13 guys who can ultimately play at this level. But it’s unproven, as only Isaac McKneely has ever averaged double-digit scoring for a season, and Bennett may be counting on contributions from as many as 7 or 8 new faces for a program that typically excels with roster stability. This has the potential to be yet another “working out the kinks” season as Bennett tries to reinvent last season’s dismal offense, so the safe bet is to assume another top half finish but see them still struggle at times to put all the pieces together.