The ACC will have some of the best balance and depth in the country next season in terms of competitive teams, and that will carry over to the player side as well. We gave you the Top-10 players in the conference last week, but there are dozens of other players who have the talent and potential to break into the upper echelon of the conference. From upperclassmen returning to put the finishing touches on their college careers to freshman looking to make an immediate impact, here is a team-by-team look at the “best of the rest.”
Boston College Eagles The Eagles lost Tyrese Rice, which means that his former supporting cast will have to step up. F Joe Trapani averaged 13.4 points and 6.6 rebounds per game last season, but showed flashes of his potential, picking up three double-doubles in four games in mid-January. G/F Rakim Sanders had very respectable numbers for the season, putting up 12.9 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. However, he had a stretch in late February and early March in which he averaged 20.3 points per game. F Corey Raji struggled down the stretch, averaging 7.6 points per game over his last nine contests. Still, he is a versatile performer who can score and rebound. F/C Evan Ravanel only played in 14 games last year, but he is set to be a major contributor this season.
Clemson Tigers F Milton Jennings could be primed for a monster freshman season. He is a match-up nightmare for opponents due to his size and skill set. He is going to create problems from day one at the small forward position. Without Terrence Oglesby and K.C. Rivers, G Demontez Stitt will have to lead the perimeter by himself. Over his last 11 games, Stitt averaged 10.4 points and 4.2 assists per game. Freshman G/F Noel Johnson escaped a commitment to USC and ended up at Clemson. He was a consensus top 100 prospect and averaged 21 points, eight rebounds, and four assists as a senior.
Duke Blue Devils G Jon Scheyer just missed the top-10 list for the conference. With Gerald Henderson and Greg Paulus gone, Scheyer’s numbers could increase. Over his last 15 games, Scheyer averaged 18.2 points per game. Throw in solid rebound and assist numbers, and he is a big-time option. Mason Plumlee and Ryan Kelly are two incoming freshmen forwards who will fight for minutes immediately. Kelly is more versatile and can play both forward positions, while Plumlee is a very good rebounder who has a nice mid-range game. G Nolan Smith will see increased minutes in the backcourt, and if his production increases similarly, he could be poised for a big year. He averaged 12.3 points per game in his first 10 games last year. G Andre Dawkins was recently cleared to play this season after originally being a member of the class of 2010. He is a big-time scorer who can shoot the three and get to the basket.
Florida State Seminoles G Michael Snaer is not a household name with people who don’t follow the recruiting game, but he has a chance to be one of the best newcomers in the country. The two-guard can really fill it up and will get an opportunity to replace Toney Douglas’ lost production. F Chris Singleton showed flashes of his potential last season, including a 12-point, 17-rebound performance to open the season, but he struggled mightily in ACC play. He averaged only 6.5 points per game in 19 games against ACC competition. If your league uses blocks as a category, push C Solomon Alabi up a few notches. The talented but somewhat raw big man averaged 2.1 blocks per game last season and looks like he could be poised to increase his numbers across the board. He had an excellent summer and his 8.4 points and 5.6 rebounds should be on the upswing. G Derwin Kitchen will replace Douglas at the point. He had modest numbers last season, but from February 18 forward, he averaged 9.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game.
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets G Iman Shumpert could see one of the bigger jumps in production of anyone in the conference. The talented sophomore point guard had very good numbers last year (10.6, 3.9, 5.0), but the departure of Maurice Miller and the addition of Derrick Favors down low should see those numbers increase. He needs to cut down on his turnovers though. G Mfon Udofia will see some time in the backcourt as a freshman, and could even push Shumpert to the two at times. F Zach Peacock will lose minutes to freshman Derrick Favors, but he put up 9.2 and 4.8 per game while Alade Aminu was starting last year.
Maryland Terrapins After North Carolina and Duke, the ACC is wide-open. A veteran Maryland team could be a threat. F Landon Milbourne is one of the keys to the Terrapins’ season. He needs to develop consistency. In December and January, Milbourne averaged 14.9 points per game. However, after that, he scored in double-figures just four more times, averaging 8.9 points a contest. G Eric Hayes is going to need to play like he did in the postseason. The unheralded senior guard averaged 15.2 points per game in the ACC and NCAA Tournaments, as compared to his 10.3 season average. G Adrian Bowie contributes in nearly every stat category, but he needs to improve his 22.4 shooting percentage from three-point range if he wants to continue to make an impact. Keep an eye on the freshman battle down low with F James Padgett and F Jordan Williams.
Miami Hurricanes It will be interesting to see how the shots in Miami sort out now that Jack McClinton is gone. F Dwayne Collinsaveraged 10.6 points and 7.3 rebounds per game last season, but his production took a bit hit in ACC play. In his last 11 games, he averaged just 7.2 points and 6.8 rebounds per contest. G Malcolm Grant, a transfer from Villanova, will replace McClinton. He is ultra-quick and can really score. He only averaged 5.6 points per game with the Wildcats, but those numbers should rise. G Durand Scott is an incoming freshman who should make an immediate impact at both ends of the floor. The New York City product can shoot the three and get to the basket, but will also lock up opponents on the defensive end. F DeQuan Jones and G James Dews are also solid options.
North Carolina Tar Heels The Tar Heels have a myriad of options at their disposal. Down low, F Deon Thompson could be poised for a huge year. He just missed our top-10, as we chose to go with teammate Ed Davis instead. However, he could put up monster numbers as the go-to-guy. He averaged 14.7 points and 7.1 rebounds in the first 11 games of last season. The battle at the point will be key, as returnee G Larry Drew and freshman G Dexter Strickland could rack up numbers if one of them wins the job outright. F John Henson is going to be an impact newcomer on the wing; he is a match-up problem and could do a variety of things. Don’t forget about F Tyler Zeller, who scored 18 points in his debut before getting injured against Kentucky and missing the next 23 games. G Marcus Ginyard, is a lockdown defender who will have to contribute offensively this year, while freshmen G Leslie McDonald and twin forwards David and Travis Wear will also get a chance to make an impact.
North Carolina State Wolfpack The Wolfpack are going to be a huge fantasy question mark heading into the season. With the loss of their top three scorers, it remains to be seen who will step up. F Tracy Smith is the leading returning scorer, at 10.0 points per game. In the last nine games of the regular season, Smith averaged 14.9 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. Forwards DeShawn Painter and Richard Howell will have to produce down low – Painter is very athletic and will make an impact. Scott Wood will get an opportunity for minutes right away on the wing, and returnee F C.J. Williams could be poised for an increase in minutes after averaging just 3.7 points per game a year ago. He did have a four-game stretch in which he averaged 10.8 per game, though.
Virginia Cavaliers It remains to be seen what sort of dip in production we will see at Virginia with the hiring of Tony Bennett as the new head coach. F Mike Scott was the second option last season, averaging 10.3 points and 7.4 rebounds, and he will likely be again. He only scored in double-figures in four of his last 10 games, though. Freshman F Tristan Spurlock is a versatile performer who attacks the basket very well. He could be a big-time scorer for the Cavaliers. G Jontel Evans has a strong body, but is also quick and athletic. As a result, he has the physical tools to run the point in the ACC as a freshman.
Virginia Tech Hokies After Malcolm Delaney and Jeff Allen, there are not a ton of shots to go around. However, someone will have to step up and replace A.D. Vassallo. F J.T. Thompson averaged just 6.5 and 3.7 rebounds per game last season, but he picked it up towards the end of the season, averaging 10.9 points and 4.9 rebounds in the final seven games. Erick Green is a 6-3 point guard who can score very well going to the left despite the fact he’s a righty. He will line up next to Delaney immediately.
Wake Forest Demon Deacons First round picks Jeff Teague and James Johnson are gone, but the Demon Deacons have ample options to help Al-Farouq Aminu pick up the slack. C Chas McFarland has talent and athleticism down low, but he needs to be much more aggressive. He took more than five shots just three times in his last 15 games. Not surprisingly, he averaged 12.9 points in the 13 games in which he took more than five shots – as compared to his season average of 8.7. G Ish Smith had a monster freshman year, averaging 8.7 points, 3.8 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game – but that was three seasons ago. Now that Teague has departed, Smith will have his full-time point guard spot back. In the last seven games of the regular season, Smith averaged 12.3 points and 4.3 assists per game. C Tony Woods shot better than 56 percent from the field last season in limited minutes, but he should get a chance to start this year. He showed flashes last season, notching his only double-figure scoring games in the first two contests of his career.