Back with our final two ACC offseason roster resets today, recapping Virginia Tech and Wake forest 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
- NC State
- North Carolina
- Notre Dame
- Pittsburgh
- SMU
- Stanford
- Syracuse
- Virginia
As always, let me know anything I missed or needed updates, and of course share your thoughts in the thread.
Virginia Tech
| Departures | PG Sean Pedulla (Transferred to Ole Miss) | 32 G, 32.1 mpg, 16.4 ppg, 4.6 apg, 33% 3P% | |
| SG Hunter Cattoor (Graduated) | 33 G, 33.2 mpg, 13.5 ppg, 1.9 apg, 41% 3P% | ||
| G/F MJ Collins (Transferred to Vanderbilt) | 32 G, 29.5 mpg, 7.4 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 28% 3P% | ||
| F Tyler Nickel (Transferred to Vanderbilt) | 33 G, 24.3 mpg, 8.8 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 40% 3P% | ||
| F Mekhi Long (Graduated) | 18 G, 18.5 mpg, 3.7 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 0% 3P% | ||
| PF Robbie Beran (Graduated) | 34 G, 22.3 mpg, 5.6 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 44% FG% | ||
| PF John Camden (Transferred to Delaware) | 14 G, 4.5 mpg, 1.9 ppg, 1 rpg, 37% FG% | ||
| F/C Lynn Kidd (Transferred to Miami) | 33 G, 23.3 mpg, 13.2 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 67% FG% | ||
| Returners | PG Brandon Rechsteiner (SO) | 26 G, 9.2 mpg, 1.8 ppg, 1.3 apg, 27% 3P% | |
| SG Jaydon Young (SO) | 26 G, 8.5 mpg, 1.8 ppg, 0.7 apg, 38% 3P% | ||
| C Mylyjael Poteat (SR+) | 34 G, 14.5 mpg, 6.4 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 64% FG% | ||
| C Patrick Wessler (SO) | 13 G, 3.8 mpg, 0.9 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 39% FG% | ||
| Additions | PG Hysier Miller (SR Transfer, Temple) | 36 G, 36.4 mpg, 15.9 ppg, 4 apg, 29% 3P% | |
| PG Ben Hammond (3-star FR) | |||
| SF Jaden Schutt (RS SO Transfer, Duke) | 14 G, 6.9 mpg, 2.1 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 35% 3P% in 2022-23 | ||
| SF Rodney Brown (SO Transfer, California) | 32 G, 14.2 mpg, 3.5 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 40% 3P% | ||
| SF Tyler Johnson (3-star FR) | |||
| F Toibu Lawal (JR Transfer, VCU) | 38 G, 18.9 mpg, 7.7 ppg, 6 rpg, 43% 3P% | ||
| F Ben Burnham (SR Transfer, College of Charleston) | 35 G, 22 mpg, 11.9 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 37% 3P% | ||
| F/C Connor Serven (RS SR Transfer, Eastern Michigan) | 31 G, 17.9 mpg, 3.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 43% FG% | ||
| F/C Ryan Jones (4-star FR) |
Since winning the 2022 ACC Tournament out of the 7-seed spot, Mike Youngās Hokies (now entering the 6th season under the former Wofford coach) have settled into programmatic mediocrity. Unfortunately for the few hoops die-hards in Blacksburg, Young has to replace his entire starting lineup this year after Techās paltry NIL offerings, outdated facilities, and otherwise lack of national prospects saw most of their talented players leave for more lucrative offerings elsewhere.
In the back court, Hokies will need Temple transfer Hysier Miller, a low efficiency volume scorer in the AAC last year, to rise to the higher level of competition, or at least learn to shoot less and pass more, especially as underclassman Brandon Rechsteiner struggled in his limited role last year. The wing rotation will be competed between a number of sophomores with little production to date in returning Jaydon Young, Duke transfer Jaden Schutt, and Cal transfer Rodney Brown, with a couple of 3-star recruits in the mix as well.
The optimism on this team is in the front court. Young was able to convince highly efficient center Mylyjael Poteat to stick around for his final season where heāll look to take on a feature role he ceded to Lynn Kidd last year. Two quality transfers arrive as well. VCUās Toibu Lawal was the A-10ās version of Ryan Dunn last year as a high energy rebounder, disrupter, and rim runner. Ben Burnham was the lone College of Charleston star not to follow Pat Kelsey to Louisville, and can provide a unique stretch-forward capability while still being effective inside as well. Lawal and Burnham may additionally be able to play together at the 3 and 4 for a jumbo lineup. 4-star Ryan Jones, the highest rated recruit of Youngās tenure according to 247ās composite, figures to factor in as well off the bench.
Youngās teams will never be outright bad, heās a fairly good coach from both a culture and a tactical perspective. But putting enough pieces together to get back into the top tier ACC discussion that Buzz Williams briefly achieved for them, is years away at best with AD Whit Babcockās strategic decision to go all-in financially on the football program for the time being. VTās forward and center rotation does show some promise, but too much needs to break right with the guards and wings to have any real confidence in VT going into the year. With the middle of the ACCās pack looking stronger this year, itās hard to see the Hokies even getting near .500 in league play. Theyāll play hard, and may even score a couple of upsets when the likes of Duke or UVA visit Cassell, but on the whole this is a team thatās going to struggle badly on the road and will be a longshot for an ACCT bye. With eight underclassmen, itās more likely Young really has his eye on next year.
Wake Forest
| Departures | PG Kevin Miller (Transferred to SMU) | 35 G, 32 mpg, 15.6 ppg, 3.5 apg, 37% 3P% | |
| SF Damari Monsanto (Transferred to UTSA) | 11 G, 12.5 mpg, 5.1 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 35% 3P% | ||
| F/C Andrew Carr (Transferred to Kentucky) | 35 G, 32.5 mpg, 13.5 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 53% FG% | ||
| F/C Zach Keller (Transferred to Utah) | 27 G, 11 mpg, 1.6 ppg, 2 rpg, 35% FG% | ||
| F/C Matthew Marsh (Transferred to Oregon State) | 22 G, 10.3 mpg, 1.7 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 68% FG% | ||
| Returners | G Hunter Sallis (SR) | 34 G, 35.4 mpg, 18 ppg, 2.5 apg, 41% 3P% | |
| SG Cameron Hildreth (SR) | 35 G, 34.1 mpg, 13.8 ppg, 2.4 apg, 35% 3P% | ||
| SG Parker Friedrichsen (SO) | 35 G, 17.9 mpg, 5.1 ppg, 0.6 apg, 37% 3P% | ||
| F Marqus Marion (SO) | 21 G, 11 mpg, 1.1 ppg, 2 rpg, 40% 3P% | ||
| C Efton Reid (SR) | 28 G, 27.6 mpg, 9.6 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 55% FG% | ||
| Additions | PG Ty-Laur Johnson (SO Transfer, Louisville) | 30 G, 23.1 mpg, 8.7 ppg, 3.6 apg, 19% 3P% | |
| G/F Davin Cosby (SO Transfer, Alabama) | 22 G, 8 mpg, 3.6 ppg, 0.9 rpg, 34% 3P% | ||
| G/F Juke Harris (4-star FR) | |||
| F TreāVon Spillers (SR Transfer, Appalachian State) | 34 G, 29 mpg, 12.8 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 0% 3P% | ||
| PF Omaha Biliew (SO Transfer, Iowa State) | 20 G, 7.4 mpg, 2.4 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 52% FG% | ||
| C Churchill Abass (SO Transfer, DePaul) | 30 G, 15.9 mpg, 3.9 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 58% FG% |
Wake Forest has been one of the more consistent programs under Steve Forbes the last three season. Unfortunately for Demon Deacon fans, that has meant consistently NIT level, winning between 10 and 13 ACC games each of those years (which followed his understandably difficult first season cleaning up Danny Manningās mess). As Wake enters this coming season, thereās a lot of pressure for Forbes to finally get the Deacons over the hump and into the NCAA Tournament with a number of impressive players returning.
No coach had a better day at the NBA Draft Withdrawal deadline than Forbes did when Hunter Sallis, a 1st-Team All-ACC selection last season, elected to play his senior year at Wake; there arguably isnāt a more well rounded scoring guard in the league. Wake did effectively trade Kevin Miller for Louisvilleās Ty-Laur Johnson in the transfer portal at the point guard position, and while Johnson is certainly electric, it was also erratic. Wake boasts two additional quality backcourt returners in floor spacers Cam Hildreth and Parker Friedrichsen, while also made a value play in the transfer portal for former 4-star Alabama transfer Davin Crosby. Along with four-star rookie Juke Harris, Forbes has a lot of options to work with in building a perimeter rotation around Sallis.
The front court is anchored by veteran center Efton Reid, a former Top 50 recruit who was a breakout for the Deacons last year after underwhelming stops at LSU and Gonzaga prior. Likely starting at the 4-spot is App State transfer, a first team all-Sun Belt forward known for his attacking offense and high energy on the defensive glass. Forbes is banking on another reclamation project in Iowa State transfer Omaha Biliew, the #13 overall player in the 2023 class (247sports composite) who got buried on the Cyclones bench behind a trio of seniors and the breakout of fellow blue-chipper Milan Momcilovic. DePaul big man Churchill Abass arrives to back up Reid at the 5 and round out the front court rotation.
There are a couple of question marks with this roster relative to whether or not Forbes can continue to work the kind of magic with Biliew, Cosby, and Johnson that he did previously with Sallis and Reid, tapping into the upside of talented prospects that eluded them at their previous stops. If so, Wake can take the already impressive returning core of Sallis, Hildreth, and Reid to the next level, to the point that this looks like the year Wake turns the corner under Forbes, maybe even crashing the party atop the league with Duke and UNC.
