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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Teammates Tyrece Radford #23 and Wabissa Bede #3 of the Virginia Tech Hokies (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

. 16-16 (7-13). . Hokies . 12. team. 447

Last season for Virginia Tech was based on how good Landers Nolley was. When he was on, they were nearly a top-25 team, beating Michigan State in the Maui Invitational. When Nolley struggled to shoot the ball, the team lost 12 of their last 15 games to end the season. He decided to leave this offseason for Memphis, leaving the program without their leading scorer.

His replacement is Cartier Diarra, a 6’4 grad transfer guard from Kansas State who averaged 13.3 ppg and 4.2 apg this past season. He wasn’t much more efficient from the field than Nolley was but at least provides the Hokies with a solid upperclassman starter and contributor. Another eligible transfer is Keve Aluma, who followed head coach Mike Young from Wofford a year ago. At 6’9 and 240 pounds, he’s bigger than any rotation player for the team this past season.

There’s going to be more depth for Virginia Tech in 2020-21, thanks to top-100 incoming guards
Joe Bamisile and Darius Maddox. They should have an immediate impact alongside Nahiem Alleyne, Jalen Cone, and senior point guard Wabissa Bede. I can’t call Tyrece Radford a guard despite being just 6’2, as he was the team’s best rebounder (6.2 rpg) while taking all of his shots inside of the arc.

If Virginia Tech can get any kind of production from inside the paint, they’ll automatically improve from the season prior. But hoping that Aluma can produce at a high level in the ACC may be too much to ask. The guards will have to lead the way once again but a year of experience will do these perimeter players good.