https://collegehoops.today/rothstein-files/acc-offseason-breakdown-4/ I’d say this was a fairly accurate assessment of each team based on their rosters preseason
Rothstein Off-season ACC rankings
- Thread starter BballinsiderfromPitt
- Start date
Seems reasonable- hopefully we over perform by 2 or more slots and one of our transfers ends up being on that top 10 transfer impact list.
He had Pitt 14th last year but I’m not faulting him for that because who could’ve really guessed they’d end up doing as well as they did? Agree it’s mostly a fair assessment and there may not be much separation between Pitt and some of the teams he has above them, but we’ll see.
3 through 9 could be in any order. Impossible to project those.....or any really in this era of 1 year AAU teams. I guess Rothstein isnt predicting the NCAAT for Louisville like BballinsiderfromPitt
It is really very hard to do pre season picks any more when 70% of the rosters turn over. I’d say we can end up just about any where from 2 to 10. Duke will be very good, but I am not sure if Miami, UVA and NC St will be as good as last year. UNC should be better and I think Clemson will be as good or better then they were last year. ND, GT are probably the worst IMO. I am not as bullish on FSU and VT as he is.
They have more talent than we do. Will be interesting to see if Payne can coach
Yeah I’d say our production will be harder to duplicate early and it may affect Hinson and Fede’s game.
Mike Young probably gets the benefit of the doubt
Yea, exactly what I said. College basketball is completely different now. These are all 1 year teams. Its fun to make these predictions but these are almost like those stupid bowl game projections in October. Its basically just guesswork to generate click revenue. Pitt absolutely could finish 2 through 10 like you said.
How do you guys not think Miami will be better than us? They return 3/6 from an ACC Champ final four team and added FSU’s best player? They definitely project better than us. I’d say 3-12 is up for grabs with the top 2 being clear
It's tough to see Pitt not in the top half of the league. They should be more skilled/talented and much deeper than what we saw last year.
Dior/Ish replacing Nelly/JB is going to determine this team's ceiling.
I agree it is mostly fair since there is little to to base any separation in roster talent between any team in the large middle group from about #4 through #10, or so. Coaching , player health and team togetherness will be the deciding factors in determining how the vast middle sorts out by season's end.
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Yes, that is the opposite situation to Virginia, IMHO. If Tony Bennett wasn't the UVA Coach they would not be ranked as high as they are. Payne may or may not be able to coach well; but, Benett can always coach-up whatever group he has to work with in any season.
Projected Starting 5
G Ishmael Leggett
G Dior Johnson
F Zack Austin
F Blake Hinson
C Federiko Federiko
Projected Bench: Jaland Lowe, William Jeffress, Guillermo Diaz Graham, Jorge Diaz Graham, Marlon Barnes Jr., Carlton Carrington, Papa Kante.
The starting 5 is what I projected too!
G Ishmael Leggett
G Dior Johnson
F Zack Austin
F Blake Hinson
C Federiko Federiko
Projected Bench: Jaland Lowe, William Jeffress, Guillermo Diaz Graham, Jorge Diaz Graham, Marlon Barnes Jr., Carlton Carrington, Papa Kante.
The starting 5 is what I projected too!
A lot of question marks other than Hinson and Federiko where you know what you’ll get. I hope Hinson (unless he somehow loses weight) stays in lane as far as what he is good at and doesn’t try to do what he thinks he needs to show at the next level. His best chance is as an elite 3 and D guy. I’ve always told kids that you better be damn good if you’re gonna take the ball out of James Harden or Lebron’s hands
I think Miami is very good and will probably finish higher than us, but I don’t think it is a slam dunk.
I don’t think it’s a slam dunk for Duke to finish ahead of us. We could finish anywhere from 1 to 13 and I wouldn’t be surprised
UNC going into last season was a perfect example of how a team that looks great returning on paper can end up disappointing. Not that I feel it would be a common thing… but still.
The only way they end up in the bottom half is if the guard play is a disaster. And Dior needs to be better than Mintz was last year to be in the top 2 or 3 teams.
The range is probably more 9th thru 3rd.
There’s lots of ways they could end up in the bottom half? They finished 5th with almost every close possession game going there way, outside of the last Miami game. That’s a credit to an older group that was a great team.
How could you possibly say that Federiko, Hinson will be the same players or better with expanded roles and worse players at the 1-3 and off the bench? Unless Dior completes his first season in like 5 years, it’s not much of a debate that Pitt was much better in their top 6 last season
Are you just focusing on the offensive end?
I don't think you will see an expanded role for Federico. GDG will split minutes with him if Kante isn't ready to play. GDG need to improve his defense away from the paint but he is better than Federico otherwise.
Not sure why Hinson's role doesn't change.
Ish and Nelly seem similar imo. Leaving Dior replacing JB- which is a big question mark.
Elliott was very streaky. Some combination of Austin, Carrington and Jeffress should make them better on defense than Elliott. Offense from this group will be interesting.
Barring injuries, suspensions, etc. This roster is deeper and more talented (especially on D) than last year's- just not as experienced.
Lol I think Nike was the most overrated Panther of the Capel era but you just completely discredit him who was a better scorer and defender in a better league than any of PITT’s current transfers.
How could Hinson’s role change unless he completely transforms his body and develops a move to get to the basket? If he wants to get a shot in the league he should want to keep his role as is and just improve his defense.
Jeffress needs to graduate and move on with his life’s work. His defense isn’t even that good.
You have to make a lot of assumptions just to put Pitt in the top 5-6, let alone the top half. Not saying there isn’t a combination to do it, but this team could easily finish in the bottom 4 as well if things don’t fall the right way. There’s so many external factors irs impossible to give an accurate gauges of where they’ll be, which is why I think rothstein analysis is fair.
Until Dior Johnson puts on a Pitt uniform in a regular season basketball game and the public address announcer says his bam, I’m not gonna believe he plays a second for Pitt.
There's an old saying in Tennessee—I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee—that says, 'Fool me once, shame on... shame on you. Fool me 13 times ——- you can't get fooled again. '"
Pitt lost a lot of toughness from last year's squad, talent of course can fill the gap, but how much talent there is to exceed that toughness will just have to be played out , IMHO.
The ACC 6th Man of the Year in the only season he played is the most overrated player under Capel... 🍻
I read enough at that point to know you are just flaming away.
You’re the one who discredited last years’ contributions by not even mentioning him. But alas, no one is smart enough for nuance anymore
Also, in his 2 years with Pitt, he averaged 8 points on 42 percent shooting. The way this board talked you would’ve thought he was junior year MJ. Of course they also thought that about Femi Odukale…
Ya this is where I’m at. Unc at 3 with hubie as the coach is the most unlikely to me.
You could give hubie the Lakers in the ACC and have no idea what to expect. They were a train wreck before their miracle run to the title game. That really bought him some unearned years
Weird takes. I know you thought Nike was way in over his head in the ACC so I'm sure it burns you to see him win the 6th man award. But hey, we can't always be right but some of us are more right than others.
Again, 🍻.
Correct, I’ve been right more than anyone else on the site, you won’t address you completely ignoring his contributions or the bulk of my post for some reason. I’d love to continue to match wits with you, but clearly you’re unarmed. 8 points, 4 rebounds. MJ Jr. but easily replaced!
That won't buy much time at a school like UNC.
If they miss the NCAAT, or barely get in and exit early, I think there's a good chance they make a change.
Dior will NOT be better than Mintz was last year.
Do you think Dior will cry on the court less than Mintz? Lol.
That dude was trash when he played Pitt.
Mintz will definitely play for Syracuse, despite SMF having him in the first round (which i was right about, shocker). Will Dior play for us? Who knows
SU vs Pitt game 1. Mintz - 24 pts, 5 steals, 4 assists, 5 rebounds.
SU vs Pitt game 2. Mintz - 16 pts, 6 assists.
That’s a whole lotta trash.
