Those expectations are ridiculous. Duke, Louisville, and UNC will all have better rosters, and most would say NCST will top. ACC could bounce back a bit this year. Top 5-6 would be just fine.
Sweet 16 would be amazing, but Tony Bennett did that all of 3 times in his 15 seasons at UVA. Only as a 1-seed. I’ll be thrillled if we make the tourney and win a game…anything else will be icing on the cake.
Nc state? Other than Darrion Williams who was a big get, I don’t think there roster is better than ours, especially if De Ridder comes through
And they just lost Mbiya.
I personally agree, but a lot of folks see it differently.
I love what our staff has put together — just saying other ACC schools have done good work too (247 has Louisville’s and NCST’s transfer classes #4 and #14 respectively and ours #28) so setting expectations at top 3 and Sweet 16 or bust is silly. Our class is a bit underrated by the recruiting services and we had to replace literally everyone who played a minute last year, so we have no idea how well this team will gel together. Hopefully great and we make a run. I love the upside, especially w DeRidder
Perhaps I will eat my words, but UNC does not have a better roster than we do, assuming de Ridder is approved. AND, they have Hubert Davis; I wouldn’t underestimate his ability to underperform.
However, I think your expectations for us are largely reasonable. It’s so difficult to determine how good anybody will be given the environment in which we exist, but – if our team comes together as we hope – 3rd place doesn’t seem unreasonable to me.
Yeah UNC not doing it for me at all. Some good players, but I have next to no faith in Hubert and it’s not nearly a good enough roster that it’s fool proof.
Terrance Arcenaux, Derrion WIlliams, and Ven Lubin is a dream small ball 3-4-5. Will come down to guards, especially Quadir Copeland’s return to the ACC and if Matthew Able hits (I wanted him bad out of HS).
I’d take our roster with De Ridder over UNC’s. We are missing a wing and our front court depth is a little light and heavily dependent on euros who will have to adjust a little and are already behind the curve a little with their late arrivals to grounds. And we are a completely new team with not a single player having played with eachother or under Ryan Odom, each of those on their own will take adjustment and adjusting to new roles surrounded by new players with no euro trip for extra practices and our projected starting front court not even being on grounds until July.
I think making the tournament and finishing in the top 7-8 of the ACC is a healthy goal.
Look I think Arceneaux is an interesting talent but the way people are talking about him is a bit much imo. He’s proven he can be a solid role player on a very good team. I’m not convinced he’s about to blow up or anything. He’s still kind of a weird fit positionally for a lot of teams unless his shooting improves dramatically. And he’s going to be surrounded by a bunch of guys who can’t really shoot on State’s roster.
We probably have a top 7 payroll nationally, and the expectation is for that to buy a top 7 finish in the conference?
Also not sold at all on State’s guards. I like our roster better. Top 3 ACC should be the goal and very realistic imo
Double bye in the ACCT should be the goal IMO. We should separate from the morass of mid-tier teams (Clemson, SMU, etc). 2nd doesn’t seem out of reach if Louisville doesn’t have Khalifa (@haney laid out the downside case for them in the ACC thread).
While Virginia may have a great roster, it is yet to be determined if Virginia has a good team. The two are not the same. They shouldn’t be confused. Of course, it is summer and fans do need something about which to argue. Go 'Hoos!!!
I think so because we don’t have the continuity other teams have and because the payroll is indicative of the market which we had to dip in more to and overpay to build the roster. Not the actual talent on the roster.
We could go 40-0. But I think it wouldn’t be surprising if we were a rough product ooc wise.
After seeing Dallin Hall look like the terminator and Gertrude put back dunk I am newly sky high on the Hoos
What other ACC teams have a lot of continuity?
PG: Hall, Mallory
SG: Jacari, Gertrude
SF: Thomas, Lewis
PF: De Ridder (?), Tillis
C: Grünloh, Ugo
I think even the second unit is a high potential team. Great depth, shooting, and no MINUS athletes for once
The projected middle of the conference doesn’t have a ton of continuity: https://barttorvik.com/trankpre.php?conlimit=ACC&state=All&year=2026&sort=
Clemson, Wake, FSU have barely anyone back. SMU, ND have a decent chunk of returning minutes. Cuse, Pitt have a little bit back. Miami starting from scratch. Some of the lower teams have guys coming back, but don’t have the talent.
Duke and their front court, Notre dame Syracuse Hokies Wake forest. Some of these programs also have top 50 kids prime for a jump in opportunity and experience with system
I also don’t think we have a lot of top end NBA potential talent. Anything is possible though
Edit: forgot SMU. I’m really intrigued to see Notre Dame (who chose to go development route, payoff is this year and next with Sanderson) and Syracuse with Donovan Freeman back.
Our team will go as far as Desmond Roberts takes us.