ACC Discussion

Gtech50

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Markell Johnson is returning to NCST for his SR yr. Big win for NCST. Makes them a potential top 5 team in the ACC.
VT - Kerry Blackshear Jr (if he withdraws he could transfer as a grad transfer to another school)
Would Blackshear even be a possiblity for us if he grad transfers? Could he play the 4 next to Banks?
 

g0lftime

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They will miss Bolden. He gives them experience on defense and has been through the ACC battles. Incoming freshmen may be better scorers but it takes time to learn good team defense. Zion was spectacular on D with his size and athletic ability but most freshmen can't do what he could do. Even K went zone a lot 2 years ago because they couldn't play man to man well enough with that freshman class.
 

RamblinRed

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Wonder if DeLaurier returning is part of the reason Charles Coleman chose East Carolina.

Still a few players who have to make final decisions - Louisville is the program with the most to gain or lose.
Jordan Nwora - biggest name left to make a decision
Steve Enoch
VJ King - rumor is if King withdraws from the draft he will not return to L'ville

Mamadi Diakite - this decision is simply about how huge a rebuild Tony Bennett has this upcoming season

Jalen Lecque - The NCST Commit has to make a final decision, believed to be leaning to staying in the draft.
 

Peacone36

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They will miss Bolden. He gives them experience on defense and has been through the ACC battles. Incoming freshmen may be better scorers but it takes time to learn good team defense. Zion was spectacular on D with his size and athletic ability but most freshmen can't do what he could do. Even K went zone a lot 2 years ago because they couldn't play man to man well enough with that freshman class.

20 games last year he played 20 minutes or less. Delaurier is comparible and Carey is better. With Stanley, Moore and Hurt also being freshman along with the fact that Alex O'Connell cant guard a folding chair, id expect K continues to deploy that zone regardless of Carey's learning curve on the defensive end.
 

YlJacket

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Wonder if DeLaurier returning is part of the reason Charles Coleman chose East Carolina.

Jalen Lecque - The NCST Commit has to make a final decision, believed to be leaning to staying in the draft.

There was a report in RTP that Lecque was told after the first day at the camp that he didn't need to show anything else and withdrew. Multiple reports/expectations now that he is gone.
 

RamblinRed

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Rumor has been that Lecque was going to stay in as long as any team told him they would draft him in either round he was likely to stay in. He reportedly is not a fan of school.
He tested as well as anyone athletically at the combine, but his play suggests someone who needs alot of refinement to his game. i could definitely see alot of teams taking him in the 2nd round and then stashing him in the G League and hope his game and basketball IQ catch up with his athleticism.

One other note. RJ Hampton who was reclassifying from 2020 to 2019 has decided to spurn Kansas and Memphis and will instead go to play professional basketball in New Zealand this fall before returning and entering the draft next year.
 

Peacone36

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Virginia Tech signed Alabama State transfer Branden Johnson yesterday as well.

6'8 traditional post. Depth signing, Hokies need bodies.
 

RamblinRed

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Virginia Tech signed Alabama State transfer Branden Johnson yesterday as well.

6'8 traditional post. Depth signing, Hokies need bodies.

This is literally about having 5 bodies to put on the floor. He avg 4.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg at AL ST last season and started 16 of their 31 games - avg 18 mpg. AL ST is a SWAC member which is the lowest rated conference in college basketball.

His job is going to be to eat up as many minutes as he can. He is 6'8, 205 - which makes him the current tallest player on VT's roster ahead of Landers Nolly who is 6'7. Next tallest is PJ Horne who is 6'5, 230.

I currently have VT pegged for last in the ACC. There are talent limited teams that have overperformed before - think GT in Pastner's first season, or Pitt last year (who went 3-15 in the conference). But in general the ones who do have one thing going for them this VT doesn't - experience. The overperforming teams usually have a core of experienced but not overly talented players who know how hard they have to play and how well they have to execute as a team to win - This VT has none of that. Assuming Blackshear doesn't go back to Blacksburg - if VT wins more than 3 ACC games Young should be a unanimous COY.
 

Peacone36

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This is literally about having 5 bodies to put on the floor. He avg 4.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg at AL ST last season and started 16 of their 31 games - avg 18 mpg. AL ST is a SWAC member which is the lowest rated conference in college basketball.

His job is going to be to eat up as many minutes as he can. He is 6'8, 205 - which makes him the current tallest player on VT's roster ahead of Landers Nolly who is 6'7. Next tallest is PJ Horne who is 6'5, 230.

I currently have VT pegged for last in the ACC. There are talent limited teams that have overperformed before - think GT in Pastner's first season, or Pitt last year (who went 3-15 in the conference). But in general the ones who do have one thing going for them this VT doesn't - experience. The overperforming teams usually have a core of experienced but not overly talented players who know how hard they have to play and how well they have to execute as a team to win - This VT has none of that. Assuming Blackshear doesn't go back to Blacksburg - if VT wins more than 3 ACC games Young should be a unanimous COY.

I think Blackshear will either end up a pro or in Lexington.
 

Northeast Stinger

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They will miss Bolden. He gives them experience on defense and has been through the ACC battles. Incoming freshmen may be better scorers but it takes time to learn good team defense. Zion was spectacular on D with his size and athletic ability but most freshmen can't do what he could do. Even K went zone a lot 2 years ago because they couldn't play man to man well enough with that freshman class.
Good read.
 

RamblinRed

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UGA Soph Nic Claxton is staying in the draft. He has been trending into the first round after the combine.
Hurts their team for next season as he was the only player over 6'9 on the roster, might hurt GT in the short run since 2019 3* C Rodney Howard is down to GT and UGA and expected to pick a school this week.
 

RamblinRed

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Just a couple of decisions left that affect the ACC.

Kerry Blackshear Jr - VT, if he withdraws he is expected to grad transfer somewhere else.
Mamadi Diakite - UVA
Jordan Nwora - L'ville
Jalen Lecque - NCST Commit (widely expected to stay in)
 
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