During the Transfer Portal era, it is really easy to remake a bad team on the fly. However, it is also hard to keep track of your favorite players as people are always on the move. With basketball season
rapidly approaching (the Tar Heels tip off against Central Arkansas in 40 days), its time to remind ourselves of some of the top returning players returning from this past ACC season.
Now a couple of quick rules. One, all players listed here must have played in the ACC last year. Now that means no freshman and no out of conference transfers. It does however include guys who played in the ACC last season but transferred to a different ACC school. Two, I am looking at one player from each team. Because of these rules, this is by no means a list of the top guys in the conference (12 of the 15 players who made an All-ACC team last season are no longer in the conference), let alone on each team, just the guys who played in the ACC last season and could have an impact this season as well.
With all that in mind, lets look at each school’s returning impact player for next season (the schools are listed in alphabetical order).
Boston College
G Donald Hand Jr.
The Eagles return six players from last season’s team (one redshirt) that finished 4-16 in ACC play good for 17th. Hand Jr, who averaged 15.7 pts and 6.1 reb, was an easy selection. Not only did he lead the team in points, rebounds, and minutes, he was also the ACC’s Most Improved Player and an All Conference Honorable Mention last season.
California
F Rytis Petraitis
In addition to returning three players from last season’s team that finished 16th in ACC play, the Golden Bears also added two ACC transfers guards in Chris Bell from Syracuse and Dai Dai Ames from Virginia. However, the nod goes to Petraitis because one he played for Cal last season and two is the teams returning leader in rebounds and points.
Clemson
G Dillon Hunter
The Tigers are having a bad year in football and may follow that up with a disappointing season in basketball as well after finishing second in the ACC last season while giving Duke its only conference loss of the season. The Tigers return only three players from that team, led by Hunter, who will need to make a leap this season if Clemson wants to go dancing for a third straight season.
Duke
F Maliq Brown
The Blue Devils return six players from last year’s regular season and conference champion Final Four squad. Brown gets the call here over other returnees Isaiah Evans and Caleb Foster for providing size as well as senior leadership on a team that is often lacking it. Whether or not his numbers improve this season will have less to do with him and more to the progress the latest round of freshmen supply.
Florida State
F Chauncey Wiggins (Clemson Transfer)
The Seminoles only returned two players from last season’s middle of the conference squad but neither averaged more than 11 minutes per game, so the choice becomes Wiggins, who would’ve easily been the Clemson choice had he returned to the team. Last season for the Tigers, the 6-10 forward averaged eight points and three rebounds per game while also hitting over 36% from behind the arc.
Georgia Tech
F Baye Ndongo
Ndongo is one of three Yellow Jackets returning from last season’s .500 squad who averaged at least 8 ppg (the fourth returnee redshirted last season). Ndongo, who led the team in rebounds and blocks and was second in points, will be expected to continue that progress as one of only three All-ACC players (third team selection) to return to the conference this season.
Louisville
G Isaac McKneely (Virginia Transfer)
There is a reason that Louisville, who finished tied for second in the ACC last season, is expected to be back at the top despite losing their top three scorers including first team All-ACC and Defensive Player of the Year, Chucky Hepburn. In addition to bringing back two players who averaged at least 12 points per game, the Cardinals also added McKneely who led the Cavaliers in scoring last season, while also being an All-ACC honorable mention.
Miami
No one
The Hurricanes unsurprisingly returned no one from last season’s team that failed to reach double digit wins and finished dead last in the conference. Along with a new coach the team will welcome in a team full of transfers and freshmen, none of whom played in the conference last season.
NC State
F Ven-Allen Lubin (UNC Transfer)
The Wolfpack returned only one player from last season’s bottom of the conference squad. However they did add two transfers from in conference, Lubin and FSU forward Jerry Deng. Lubin was very efficient for the Tar Heels last season finishing with a .757 true shooting percentage to go along with 8.7 ppg and 5.5 rebounds in just under 20 minutes per game.
North Carolina
G Seth Trimble
Trimble is one of just three Tar Heels set to return this season along side James Brown and Zayden High, who was suspended last season. The Tar Heels also added another ACC player in Jayden Young who should add to the team’s long distance shooting. Trimble brings senior leadership to a new and young squad and will look to improve on his career best 11.6 points and 5 rebounds per game.
Notre Dame
G Markus Burton
Burton is one of seven Notre Dame players to return this season. Last season he lead the Fighting Irish in points, assists, and steals per game and is the only first or second team All-ACC team member to return this season (Burton was on the second team). He is also the only returning player to average more than 20 ppg last season. Along with Braden Shrewsberry (14.1 pts per game), Notre Dame has a very solid back court as they look to regain their place amongst the upper echelon of the conference.
Pittsburgh
F Cameron Cohren
The Panthers return four players from last season’s squad that finished in the middle of the ACC last season. The 6’10 Cohren is the teams returning leader in points and rebounds.
SMU
G Boopie Miller
The Mustangs return three players, who all averaged 10 ppg, from last season’s top five ACC squad. Miller, who led the team in points and assists and was third team All-ACC this past season, will look to keep SMU afloat along with leading stealer BJ Edwards, who also returns to stabilize a Mustang’s back court looking to make the big dance for the first time since 2017.
Stanford
F Chisom Okpara
The Cardinal return a whopping nine players from last season’s 7th place ACC finish. Okpara, who is the team’s second leading returning scorer, will look to help offset the loss of first team All-ACC and current Sacremento King big man Maxime Raynaud.
Syracuse
F Donnie Freeman
Freeman is one of just two Orange players to return from last season’s 14th place ACC squad. Freeman, who had six double doubles in 13 starts and is returning from a right leg injury that ended his Freshman season in early January, will be joined by All-ACC Honorable Mention JJ Starling, as well as former Georgia Tech players Naithan George and Ibrahim Souare, to form a solid foundation for Syracuse this season.
Virginia
G Elijah Gertrude
Virginia almost had the distinction of joining Miami with no one, if not for two returning red shirt players. Gertrude, who gets the nod over red shirt walk on Carter Lang, averaged 3.4 points in just under 10 minutes per game for the Cavaliers during his freshman season back in 23-24.
Virginia Tech
F Tobi Lawai
Lawai is one of four Hokies to return from last season’s ninth place squad. Lawai, who is the only returner to average double digit points per game, led the team in rebounds and blocks last season.
Wake Forest
F Tre’Von Spillers
The Demon Deacon’s return four guys from last season’s squad. Spillers, who led the team in rebounds and blocks, will look to help make up for the loss of leading scorer and All-ACC first team player Hunter Sallis, as Wake Forest looks to continue to stay atop the ACC standings this season.
