ACC Roster Reshuffle: The State of the Conference, Part 1

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BOSTON COLLEGE

Departures: Jason Asemota, 6-foot-8 junior forward (UCF); Chase Forte, 6-foot-4 senior guard (out of eligibility); Donald Hand Jr., 6-foot-5 senior guard (Loyola-Chicago); Boden Kapke, 6-foot-11 senior center (Nebraska); Fred Payne, 6-foot-1 redshirt junior guard (Oregon); Nick Petrino, 6-foot-3 redshirt sophomore guard (Delaware); Marko Radunovic, 6-foot-6, sophomore wing (Fairfield); Aiden Shaw, 6-foot-9 senior forward (out of eligibility); Caleb Steger, 6-foot-5 sophomore guard (Texas State); Kany Tchanda, 6-foot-9 junior forward (Longwood); Luka Toews, 6-foot-1 senior guard (Furman); Akbar Waheed III, 6-foot-6 sophomore guard (St. Bonaventure)

Returnees: Jack Bailey, 6-foot-11 redshirt freshman center

Incoming: Brandon Benjamin, 6-foot-8 sophomore forward (transfer from Fairfield); Colby Duggan, 6-foot-7 senior forward (transfer from College of Charleston); JB Frankel, 6-foot-3 senior guard (transfer from Northeastern); Jacob Furphy, 6-foot-6 sophomore guard (transfer from UConn); Luke Hunger, 6-foot-10 graduate center (transfer from George Washington); Ernest Shelton, 6-foot-5 senior guard (transfer from Merrimack); Zak Smerkar, 6-foot-7 freshman wing; Money Williams, 6-foot-4 senior guard (transfer from Montana); Armoni Ziegler, 6-foot-4 senior guard (transfer from Ball State)

The Eagles have moved on from Earl Grant after their fourth losing record in his five-season tenure. His replacement, Luke Murray, might be better known as the son of comedian Bill Murray, but he comes to BC with a solid foundation as Dan Hurley’s offensive coordinator at UConn. He begins his first head coaching opportunity with virtually a clean slate, with only one returning player – who has yet to play his first game for the Eagles – on the roster. His propensity for offense is evident in the first nine players he’s brought into the program since his arrival. Three of his four transfer guards – Williams (20.6 points per game), Shelton (15.9) and Ziegler (12.5) – averaged in double figures last season while his only freshman recruit, Smerkar, is a 19-year-old Slovenian who scored at an 11.6-point pace in 27 games for Krka of the Adriatic Basketball Association.

CAL

Departures: Dai Dai Ames, 6-foot-5 senior guard (Tennessee); Chris Bell, 6-foot-7 senior guard (out of eligibility); John Camden, 6-foot-8 graduate forward (out of eligibility); DuJuan Campbell, 6-foot-3 senior guard (out of eligibility); Semetri Carr, 6-foot-1 sophomore guard (in the portal); Milos Ilić, 6-foot-10 graduate center (out of eligibility); Rytis Petraitis, 6-foot-7 graduate forward (New Mexico); Justin Pippen, 6-foot-3 junior guard (Ohio State)

Returnees: Lee Dort, 6-foot-10 graduate forward; Dhiaukuei Manyiel Dut, 7-foot junior center; Mantus Kočanas, 6-foot-11 junior center; Jovani Ruff, 6-foot-5 sophomore guard; Sammy Yeanay, 6-foot-9 junior forward

Incoming: Dionycius Bakare, 6-foot-5 freshman forward; Michael Cooper, 6-foot-3 sophomore guard (transfer from Wright State); Dominykas Daubaris, 6-foot-11, freshman center/forward; Nojus Indrusaitis, 6-foot-5 junior guard (transfer from Pittsburgh); Nicolas Mitrovic, 7-foot freshman center; Jordan Ross, 6-foot-3 senior guard (transfer from Georgia); Jacob Wilkins, 6-foot-9 sophomore (transfer from Georgia); Amier Ali 6-foot-8 junior forward (transfer from Mississippi State)

The Bears should be coming into the 2026-27 season with momentum after posting their most wins (22) since 2016 and earning their first postseason victory (against UIC in the NIT) since 2014. But even though Mark Madsen returns five members from last year’s team, he faces virtually a complete rebuild. Gone are the top four scorers, including transfers Ames and Pippen. Among the returners, Dort is the only one to have made a significant contribution. To fill in the gaps, Madsen raided the SEC for three of his five incoming transfers to date while relying on his international connections to sign three true freshmen – one each from Canada (Bakare), Lithuania (Daubaris) and Serbia (Mitrovic).

CLEMSON

Departures: Butta Johnson, 6-foot-4 senior guard (in the portal); Nick Davidson, 6-foot-10 senior forward (out of eligibility); RJ Godfrey, 6-foot-7 senior forward (out of eligibility); Dillon Hunter, 6-foot-3 senior guard (out of eligibility); Jestin Porter, 6-foot-1 senior guard (out of eligibility); Jake Wahlin, 6-foot-10 senior forward (BYU)

Returnees: Ace Buckner, 6-foot-3 redshirt sophomore guard; Blake Davidson, 6-foot-9 redshirt freshman; Zac Foster, 6-foot-4 sophomore guard; Trent Steinour, 6-foot-10 sophomore center; Dallas Thomas, 6-foot-9 redshirt sophomore; Chase Thompson, 6-foot-8 sophomore forward; Carter Welling, 6-foot-11 senior center

Incoming: Cole Certa, 6-foot-5 junior guard (transfer from Notre Dame); Dylan Faulkner 6-foot-9 senior forward (transfer from Samford); David Fuchs, 6-foot-9 senior forward (transfer from San Francisco); Amare James, 6-foot-6 freshman guard; Liutauras Lelevicius, 6-foot-7 junior wing (transfer from TCU); Harris Reynolds, 6-foot-5 freshman guard; Will Stevens, 6-foot-10 freshman center

After relying heavily on the free-agent market to restock nearly his entire roster last offseason, Brad Brownell has had the luxury of being more selective this year thanks to the return of seven players and an old-school reliance on traditional high school recruiting. He addressed his need for size inside to replace the departed duo of Godfrey and Davidson by bringing in Faulkner, a first-team All-Southern Conference pick who averaged 17 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.7 blocks at Samford last year, and Fuchs, who posted nearly a double-double (12.7 points and 7.8 rebounds) at USF. Brownell then stayed within the ACC to replace top perimeter threat Porter by signing sharpshooter Certa from Notre Dame. The Tigers’ three freshmen signees also have a chance to contribute immediately, especially big man Stevens – the top-rated prospect from North Carolina according to On3Sports – and Atlanta Metro Player of the Year Reynolds.

DUKE

Departures: Cameron Boozer, 6-foot-9 freshman forward (NBA Draft); Maliq Brown, 6-foot-9 senior forward (out of eligibility); Isaiah Evans, 6-foot-6 sophomore guard (NBA Draft); Darren Harris, 6-foot-6 junior guard (Indiana); Nikolas Khamenia, 6-foot-8 sophomore forward (UConn); Cameron Sheffield, 6–foot-8 graduate forward (out of eligibility); Ifeanyi Ufochukwu, 6-foot-11 graduate center (out of eligibility)

Returnees: Caleb Foster, 6-foot-5 senior guard; Cayden Boozer, 6-foot-4, sophomore guard; Patrick Ngongba II, 6-foot-11 junior center; Dame Sarr, 6-foot-8 sophomore wing; Sebastian Wilkins, 6-foot-8 redshirt freshman forward

Incoming: John Blackwell, 6-foot-4, senior guard (transfer from Wisconsin); Joaquim Boumtje-Boumtje, 7-foot freshman center; Bryson Howard, 6-foot-4 freshman guard; Maxime Meyer, 7-foot-1 freshman center; Deron Rippey Jr., 6-foot-2 freshman guard; Cameron Williams, 6-foot-11 freshman forward; Drew Scharnowski, 6-foot-9 junior forward (transfer from Belmont); Jacob Theodosiou, 6-foot-4 senior guard (transfer from Loyola Maryland)

If anyone in college basketball has the capacity to withstand the loss of the National Player of the Year, one of the nation’s best shooters and a key rotational piece and continue to put a championship caliber team on the floor, it’s Jon Scheyer. He’s already done it once. And with the nation’s top-rated recruiting class (according to 247Sports) set to arrive to go along with a solid returning core, there’s a good chance he’ll do it again. Four of his five incoming freshmen are rated as five-star prospects, headlined by 6-foot-11 McDonald’s All-American Williams. In addition to the  talented youth, Scheyer has hedged his bets by bringing in high-scoring guard Blackwell from Wisconsin to replace Evans.

FLORIDA STATE

Departures: Thomas Bassong, 6-foot-8 sophomore forward (Mississippi State); Maximo Garcia-Plata 6-foot-4 sophomore guard (Incarnate Word); Lajae Jones, 6-foot-7 senior wing (out of eligibility); Kobe Magee, 6-foot-5 senior guard (out of eligibility); Aller Maluk, 7-foot junior center (McNeese State); Robert McCray Jr., 6-foot-4 senior guard (out of eligibility); Cam Miles, 6-foot-2 sophomore guard (UNLV); Shah Muhammad, 6-foot-11 senior center (in the portal); Xavier Osceola, 6-foot-1 redshirt freshman guard (in the portal); Martin Somerville, 6-foot-3 junior guard (West Virginia); Alex Steen, 6-foot-8 senior forward (out of eligibility); Chauncey Wiggins, 6-foot-10 senior forward (in the portal)

Returnees: AJ Swinton, 6-foot-6 junior wing; Jalen Crawford, 6-foot sophomore guard

Incoming: Shon Abaev, 6-foot-8 sophomore wing (transfer from Cincinnati); Elisee Assui, 6-foot-5 freshman guard; Brandon Bass Jr., 6-foot-5 freshman guard; Martay Barnes, 6-foot-2 freshman guard; Jasen Lopez, 6-foot-1 freshman guard (also a member of FSU football team); Collin Paul, 6-foot-7 freshman forward; Marcis Ponder, 6-foot-11 freshman center; Kameron Taylor, 6-foot-7 junior wing (transfer from UNC Asheville); Sebastian Rancik, 6-foot-11 senior forward (transfer from Colorado); Amare Robinson, 6-foot-1 sophomore guard (transfer from Tallahassee State College); Anthony Robinson II, 6-foot-2 senior guard (transfer from Missouri); Cooper Schwieger, 6-foot-10 senior forward (transfer from Wake Forest)

It took Luke Loucks until mid-January in his first season back at his alma mater to figure out how to fit all the pieces of his newly constructed roster into a winning unit. The experience could be an asset as he looks to find the right combinations faster under similar circumstances in year two. All but one regular from a 2025-26 team that won 11 of its last 15 to finish at 18-15 (10-8 ACC) are gone. In their place, Loucks has assembled an incoming class consisting of five Division I transfers, five true freshmen and one junior college transfer. Although three of the freshmen are rated as top-100 prospects – including the 6-foot-11, 300-pound Ponder, who goes by the nickname “Baby Shaq” because of his size and power – all are raw and could take time to adjust to the college game. Among the transfers, Anthony Robinson was an SEC All-Defensive team selection at Missouri, but scoring could be an issue with only Taylor at UNC Asheville and Rancik at Colorado having averaged in double figures last season.

Notre Dame Lost Everything. Coach Shrewsberry Is Loving It.

After unexpectedly dropping six players in the transfer portal, Notre Dame initiated an emergency rebuild. Coach Shrewsberry is overjoyed with the results.

GEORGIA TECH

Departures: Eric Chatfield, 5-foot-11 sophomore (Bryant); Akai Fleming, 6-foot-4 sophomore guard (Cincinnati); Chas Kelley III, 6-foot-3 senior (out of eligibility); Peyton Marshall, 7-foot junior center (Charlotte); Jaeden Mustaf, 6-foot-5 junior guard (Indiana); Baye Ndongo, 6-foot-9 junior forward (Pittsburgh); Kowacie Reeves Jr., 6-foot-7 redshirt senior wing (out of eligibility); Davi Remagen, 6-foot-4 sophomore guard (Tennessee-Martin); Brandon Stores Jr., 6-foot-5 redshirt freshman (NJIT); Mouhamed Sylla, 6-foot-10 sophomore (West Virginia); Dyllan Thompson, 6-foot-7 redshirt sophomore (Weber State); Lamar Washington, 6-foot-4 senior guard (out of eligibility)

Returnees: Cole Kirouac, 7-foot sophomore center; Kam Craft, 6-foot-6 redshirt senior wing

Incoming: Kayden Allen, 6-foot-6 freshman guard; Kaiden Bailey, 6-foot-2 freshman guard; Moustapha Diop, 6-foot-10 freshman forward; Colby Garland, 6-foot senior guard (transfer from San Jose State); Haiden Harper, 6-foot-1 freshman guard; Tylis Jordan, 6-foot-9 redshirt freshman forward (transfer from Ole Miss); Jackson McVey, 7-foot-1 redshirt freshman center (transfer from Georgia); Victor Valdèz, 6-foot-7 senior forward (transfer from Troy); Nasir Whitlock, 6-foot-2, senior guard (transfer from Lehigh)

Among the biggest challenges faced by Georgia Tech coaches of recent vintages have been getting the best players from the talent-rich Atlanta area to stay home and play for the Yellow Jackets. It’s a goal Brian Gregory, Josh Pastner and, most recently, Damon Stoudamire weren’t able to accomplish. Scott Cross, however, is off to a promising start after convincing top recruit Diop to stick with his commitment to Tech. An athletic big who spent the past two seasons with Overtime Elite in Atlanta, Diop reopened his recruitment after Stoudamire’s firing in March. But he reconsidered and decided to stay after Cross was hired. Diop is one of four freshmen signed by the former Troy coach. They’ll join a group of five transfers, highlighted by well-traveled point guard Garland from San Jose State (by way of Drake and Longwood) and wing Victor Valdes, one of the key pieces of Cross’ 22-win NCAA Tournament team at Troy last season.

LOUISVILLE

Departures: Mikel Brown Jr., 6-foot-5 freshman guard (NBA Draft); Mouhamed Camara, 6-foot-8 sophomore forward (Eastern Kentucky); Ryan Conwell, 6-foot-4 senior guard (out of eligibility); Sananda Fru, 6-foot-11 center (Marquette); J’Vonne Hadley, 6-foot-7 graduate guard (out of eligibility); Aly Khalifa, 7-foot redshirt senior center (out of eligibility); Spencer Legg, 6-foot-7 senior forward (in the portal); Isaac McKneely, 6-foot-4 senior guard (out of eligibility); Kasean Pryor, 6-foot-10 redshirt senior center (out of eligibility); Kobe Rodgers, 6-foot-3 redshirt senior guard (out of eligibility); Khani Rooths, 6-foot-10 junior forward (Oklahoma); Vangelis Zougris, 6-foot-8 junior forward (Saint Mary’s)

Returnees: London Johnson, 6-foot-3 junior guard; Adrian Wooley, 6-foot-4 sophomore guard

Incoming: Flory Bidunga, 6-foot-10 junior center (transfer from Kansas); Gabe Dynes, 7-foot-5 senior center (transfer from Southern Cal); Obinna Ekezie Jr., 7-foot freshman center; Isaac Ellis, 6-foot-1 freshman guard; Alvaro Folgueiras, 6-foot-10 senior forward (transfer from Iowa); Karter Knox, 6-foot-6 junior wing (transfer from Arkansas); De’Shayne Montgomery, 6-foot-5 senior guard (transfer from Dayton); Jackson Shelstad, 6-foot-1 junior guard (transfer from Oregon); Boyuan Zhang, 6-foot-8 freshman wing

Pat Kelsey has brought the Cardinals back to national relevance by using the portal to build virtually a new roster each of his first two seasons at Louisville. It’s a successful strategy he’s followed again by assembling the nation’s top-rated transfer class, according to 247Sports. It’s a group of six players headlined by Kansas big man Bidunga, the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year who blocked 91 shots and shot 64 percent from the floor last season. Point guard Shelstad was a third-team All-Big Ten selection even though he missed 20 games with a hand injury while Folgueiras hit the winning three-pointer for Iowa that ousted defending national champion Florida from the NCAA Tournament. In addition to the impressive transfer haul, Kelsey deepened the Cardinals’ talent pool by signing five-star freshman Ekezie Jr., whose father played four seasons in the NBA after a standout career at Maryland and four-star Chinese national Zhang.

MIAMI

Departures: Salih Altuntas, 6-foot-10 sophomore center (Saint Mary’s); Noam Dovrat, 6-foot-5 sophomore guard (in the portal); Jordyn Kee, 6-foot-3 redshirt sophomore guard (Radford); John Laboy, 6-foot-3 redshirt freshman guard (Fordham); Treyvon Maddox, 6-foot-6 redshirt freshman wing (UNC Wilmington); Timo Malovec, 6-foot-8 sophomore forward (Kansas State); Malik Reneau, 6-foot-9 senior forward (out of eligibility); Ernest Udeh Jr., 6-foot-11 senior center (out of eligibility); Tru Washington, 6-foot-4 senior guard (Xavier)

Returnees: Dante Allen, 6-foot-4 sophomore guard; Marcus Allen, 6-foot-7 junior wing; Shelton Henderson, 6-foot-6 sophomore forward

Incoming: Christopher Birden Jr, 6-foot-1 freshman forward; Brent Bland, 6-foot-3 graduate guard (transfer from Saint Peter’s); Somto Cyril, 6-foot-11 junior center (transfer from Georgia); Nick Dorn, 6-foot-7 senior guard (transfer from Indiana); Caleb Gaskins, 6-foot-8 freshman forward; DeSean Goode, 6-foot-8 junior forward (transfer from Robert Morris); Acaden Lewis, 6-foot-2 sophomore guard (transfer from Villanova)

Jai Lucas authored the nation’s best turnaround by leading the Hurricanes to a 19-win improvement in his first season as a college head coach by building a roster prioritizing positional size and physicality. Although he still has work to do, with only 10 players currently in the program, his 2026-27 squad is shaping up to have a similar identity. Five of the seven newcomers to the program (five transfers and two freshmen) are 6-foot-7 or taller. They join a returning core that includes Henderson, a 6-foot-6 sophomore with All-ACC potential and Marcus Allen, a 6-foot-7 wing who missed all but eight games last season while battling non-Hodgkins Lymphoma.

NC STATE

Departures: Matt Able, 6-foot-6 sophomore guard (North Carolina); Terrance Arceneaux, 6-foot-6 redshirt senior guard (George Washington); Alyn Breed, 6-foot-3 redshirt senior guard (UNLV); Cole Cloer, 6-foot-8 redshirt freshman forward (Alabama); Quadir Copeland, 6-foot-6 senior guard (out of eligibility); Jerry Deng, 6-foot-9 senior forward (Memphis); Scottie Ebube, 6-foot-10 senior center (out of eligibility); Tre Holloman, 6-foot-2 senior guard (out of eligibility); Jayme Kontuniemi, 6-foot-4 redshirt freshman guard (in the portal); Colt Langdon, 6-foot-7 sophomore forward (Marshall); Ven-Allen Lubin, 6-foot-9 senior forward (out of eligibility); Musa Sagnia, 6-foot-10 sophomore center (Virginia Tech); Jordan Snell, 6-foot-3 senior guard (out of eligibility); Darion Williams, 6-foot-6 senior wing (out of eligibility)

Returnees: Paul McNeill Jr., 6-foot-5 sophomore guard; Zymicah Wilkins, 6-foot-9 redshirt freshman forward

Incoming: Darius Adams, 6-foot-5 sophomore guard (transfer from Maryland); Jacari Brim, 6-foot-2 sophomore guard (transfer from Appalachian State); Preston Edmead, 6-foot-1 sophomore guard (transfer from Hofstra); Comeh Emuobor, 6-foot-5 senior wing (transfer from New Hampshire); Kyle Evans, 6-foot-10 senior center (transfer UC Irvine); Christian Hammond, 6-foot-4 junior guard (transfer from Santa Clara); RJ Keene, 6-foot-7 redshirt senior forward (transfer from Boise State); Kingston Whitty, 6-foot-2 freshman guard; Eemeli Yalaho, 6-foot-8 senior forward (transfer from Washington State)

New coach Justin Gainey has put a high priority on shooting. In addition to returner McNeill, the ACC’s most accurate three-point marksman last season, four of the first eight transfers he’s landed – Maryland’s Adams, Hofstra’s Edmead, Santa Clara’s Hammond and Appalachian State’s Brim – play backcourt positions. Incoming freshman wing Keene is the ultimate Glue Guy, and forward Yalaho also shot better than 35 percent from beyond the arc. The next step in the building process is bulking up a frontcourt whose lack of depth proved to be the Wolfpack’s undoing in its only season under former coach Will Wade. Gainey has already picked up two frontcourt transfers in Yalaho and Evans, but more help is still needed before the roster is set.