ACC Basketball: Way-too-early power rankings for 2020-21 season

GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 12: The Florida State Seminoles, lead by Head coach Leonard Hamilton (L), are presented with the regular season trophy following the cancelation of the remainder of the 2020 Men's ACC Basketball Tournament at Greensboro Coliseum on March 12, 2020 in Greensboro, North Carolina. The cancelation is due to concerns over the possible spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) /

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Chaundee Brown #23, Olivier Sarr #30, Andrien White #13 and Isaiah Mucius #1 of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Demon Deacons . 15. team. 448. . 13-18 (6-14).

When the season ended, it looked as if head coach Danny Manning would survive for another year. But over a month later, the program decided to move on from him and pay the $15 million dollar buyout. East Tennessee State head coach Steve Forbes, who won 25+ games in the last five years was named the new leader but he’ll basically be starting all over.

The top four scorers form the team are all gone, including Olivier Sarr and Chaundee Brown transferring out of the program. Sarr has gone to Kentucky, while Brown is choosing between a number of high-major teams.

But not everyone has left the program since the coaching change. Key players Isaiah Mucius, Jacobi Neath and incoming three-star guard Marcus Watson have already announced their intentions to stay around, while Houston Baptist transfer Ian Dubose (19.9 ppg and 7.3 rpg) and Virginia Tech sit-out transfer Isaiah Wilkins is going to have big roles for the Demon Deacons next season. Look for the team to add a couple of other transfers with the available scholarships.

The hire of Forbes was widely praised and there is optimism that Wake Forest will get out of the bottom-tier of the ACC sooner rather than later. However, that won’t be happening this season, with the least amount of projected talent compared to any other roster in the conference. And if Dubose doesn’t have a big year, they’ll be lucky to win more than a pair of league games next season.