via Brendan Marks of The Athletic:
Returning rotation players: Ishmael Leggett (12.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg); Jaland Lowe (9.6 ppg); Guillermo Diaz Graham (6.7 ppg); Zack Austin (6.5 ppg, 4.2 rpg); Jorge Diaz Graham (3.5 ppg)
Top 100 freshmen added: None
Top 100 transfers added: None
Why they’re here: Carrington, a surprise one-and-done, was Pitt’s best freshman last season, but Lowe — who averaged 13.1 points, 4.1 assists and 3.6 rebounds per game in his 19 games as a starter — wasn’t far behind. He could become a bona fide all-league player, and he’s already earning buzz as a potential first-round pick. Lowe’s the ideal set-up man for Pitt’s various returners, especially Leggett, the reigning ACC Sixth Man of the Year who dropped 30 points in the conference semifinals.
As for new arrivals, Damian Dunn (Houston) is finally free from Kelvin Sampson’s doghouse and can hopefully return to the potent scoring form (14.6 ppg) he showed in four seasons at Temple. Forward Cam Corhen (Florida State) provides another frontcourt presence who should thrive in pick-and-rolls with Lowe and Leggett. Jeff Capel’s team is in the top third of the league in career made 3s, and if it can capitalize on that shooting proficiency — like it did late last season, winning 10 of its final 13 games — then a second NCAA Tournament berth in three seasons is within reach.
How’s the ACC looking?
If nothing else, larger. Cal, Stanford, and SMU are now officially members, meaning the 18-team “Atlantic Coast” Conference stretches the width of the United States and the length of the East Coast. But the league has plenty to boast about. No conference has sent more teams to the Final Four the past three seasons than the ACC (four), with four different programs — North Carolina, Duke, Miami, and NC State — each making an appearance. As for the future, the ACC is bringing in nine five-star freshmen, the most of any conference — and more than the Big 12 and Big East combined. The conference has four of the nation’s top 15 recruiting classes, per 247Sports: No. 1 Duke, No. 7 Miami, No. 8 UNC, and No. 14 Georgia Tech. Two others, Clemson and Notre Dame, crack the top 25.
The transfer portal was less kind to the league, though there are still plenty of contributors coming in. But of The Athletic’s top 100 transfers, none of the top 15 joined the ACC. Only 13 of the top 100 best-available players picked ACC schools, with no league member ranking in the top 20 nationally in transfer portal hauls.
Still, the league has plenty of experience, with some of its teams built more around experienced stars. A third of the ACC has at least four players with more than 2,000 career Division I minutes, and nine different teams have at least one player with more than 3,000.
Balance that with three new coaches — Pat Kelsey (Louisville), Andy Enfield (SMU), and Kyle Smith (Stanford) — and there is plenty to look forward to this ACC season.
6. Pittsburgh
Biggest losses: Blake Hinson (18.5 ppg, 4.4 rpg); Carlton “Bub” Carrington (13.8 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 4.1 apg); Federiko Federiko (4.7 ppg, 5.2 rpg)Returning rotation players: Ishmael Leggett (12.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg); Jaland Lowe (9.6 ppg); Guillermo Diaz Graham (6.7 ppg); Zack Austin (6.5 ppg, 4.2 rpg); Jorge Diaz Graham (3.5 ppg)
Top 100 freshmen added: None
Top 100 transfers added: None
Why they’re here: Carrington, a surprise one-and-done, was Pitt’s best freshman last season, but Lowe — who averaged 13.1 points, 4.1 assists and 3.6 rebounds per game in his 19 games as a starter — wasn’t far behind. He could become a bona fide all-league player, and he’s already earning buzz as a potential first-round pick. Lowe’s the ideal set-up man for Pitt’s various returners, especially Leggett, the reigning ACC Sixth Man of the Year who dropped 30 points in the conference semifinals.
As for new arrivals, Damian Dunn (Houston) is finally free from Kelvin Sampson’s doghouse and can hopefully return to the potent scoring form (14.6 ppg) he showed in four seasons at Temple. Forward Cam Corhen (Florida State) provides another frontcourt presence who should thrive in pick-and-rolls with Lowe and Leggett. Jeff Capel’s team is in the top third of the league in career made 3s, and if it can capitalize on that shooting proficiency — like it did late last season, winning 10 of its final 13 games — then a second NCAA Tournament berth in three seasons is within reach.
How’s the ACC looking?
If nothing else, larger. Cal, Stanford, and SMU are now officially members, meaning the 18-team “Atlantic Coast” Conference stretches the width of the United States and the length of the East Coast. But the league has plenty to boast about. No conference has sent more teams to the Final Four the past three seasons than the ACC (four), with four different programs — North Carolina, Duke, Miami, and NC State — each making an appearance. As for the future, the ACC is bringing in nine five-star freshmen, the most of any conference — and more than the Big 12 and Big East combined. The conference has four of the nation’s top 15 recruiting classes, per 247Sports: No. 1 Duke, No. 7 Miami, No. 8 UNC, and No. 14 Georgia Tech. Two others, Clemson and Notre Dame, crack the top 25.
The transfer portal was less kind to the league, though there are still plenty of contributors coming in. But of The Athletic’s top 100 transfers, none of the top 15 joined the ACC. Only 13 of the top 100 best-available players picked ACC schools, with no league member ranking in the top 20 nationally in transfer portal hauls.
Still, the league has plenty of experience, with some of its teams built more around experienced stars. A third of the ACC has at least four players with more than 2,000 career Division I minutes, and nine different teams have at least one player with more than 3,000.
Balance that with three new coaches — Pat Kelsey (Louisville), Andy Enfield (SMU), and Kyle Smith (Stanford) — and there is plenty to look forward to this ACC season.
