ACC Basketball: All-time starting five for each program (1980-2019)

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GREENSBORO, NC – MARCH 11: Malcolm Delaney #23 of the Virginia Tech Hokies moves the ball against the Florida State Seminoles during the second half in the quarterfinals of the 2011 ACC men’s basketball tournament at the Greensboro Coliseum on March 11, 2011 in Greensboro, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

Virginia Tech (VPISU) Hokies

PG – Bimbo Coles (1986-1990)

It is amazing to me how some people either haven’t heard of or don’t give some of these guys their due. Bimbo Coles would be an ACC legend, but the Hokies played in the Metro at the time. A four-year player in Blacksburg, Coles AVERAGED 21.6 points, 4.8 assists, and 3.9 rebounds per game. He is the all-time leading scorer in the Metro and, up until this past season, was the Hokies all-time assist leader. The man was an offensive juggernaut.

Coles was selected 40th overall in the 1990 NBA draft by the Sacramento Kings. In 852 career games, he averaged 7.8 points, 3.9 assists, and 2.1 rebounds.

SG – Malcolm Delaney (2007-2011)

Delaney was the star player on those infamous “always on the bubble, never in the tournament” Seth Greenberg clubs. His 2,255 points rank him 8th all-time in the ACC. He also has the unique honor of being the leader in career turnovers in the ACC at 377.

The 3x All-ACC selection went undrafted after exhausting his eligibility and played overseas for a few years before hooking on with the Atlanta Hawks for a couple of seasons. He is currently playing in China.

Wing – Dell Curry (1982-1986)

The Cheat Code’s old man was no slouch himself. Back when I still watched the NBA, I loved me some Larry Johnson so I watched a lot of Hornets games as a youngster. Dell Curry was the shooter on that team and he was simply a knockdown guy.

Looking back at his college career, you can see where Steph and Seth get it. The 1986 Metro League Player of the Year and 2nd team All-American scored 2,385 points in his career. Unfortunately, Curry played a lot of his college ball without a 3-point line but made 1,235 in his NBA career. You can only imagine what his numbers would have looked like in college had he been shooting from behind the arc.

He was selected 15th overall in the 1986 NBA draft by the Utah Jazz. He averaged roughly 12 points per game on 40% shooting from deep over his career.

PF – Ace Custis (1993-1997)

First of all, great name. Custis was an undersized power forward, but was really agile and athletic and just outworked people. He may be the least rewarded and recognized player on this entire list, but led both the Metro and Atlantic 10 in rebounding and never averaged fewer than 10.9 points or 9 rebounds per game. Had the Hokies remained in the Metro, Custis’s 1,177 rebounds would rank second behind only Clarence Weatherspoon and ahead of previously mentioned Louisville great Pervis Ellison.

Custis was a 2x Atlantic 10 1st team selection and All-Metro once. His #20 is one of only four retired jerseys at Virginia Tech. He is currently an assistant coach at Maryland Eastern Shore.

C – Jeff Allen (2007-2011)

Even though he played fairly recently, I’d bet some people wouldn’t recognize the name. Allen was solid if unspectacular. he quietly put up 1,702 points and 1,111 rebounds over his four-year career. He ranks in the top 15 in the ACC lists for steals, rebounds, and 2-point field goals made over a career.

Allen was an All-ACC selection in 2011 and All-Rookie team selection in 2008. He is currently playing professionally in Israel.

Others considered: Deron Washington, Zabian Dowdell, Zach LeDay, Justin Robinson, Kerry Blackshear Jr, Perry Young, and Erick Green.