ACC Basketball: Projecting each team’s key player production for 2021-22

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - MARCH 19: Buddy Boeheim #35 of the Syracuse Orange reacts during the second half against the San Diego State Aztecs in the first round game of the 2021 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Hinkle Fieldhouse on March 19, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

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ACC Basketball Wake Forest Demon Deacons guard Daivien Williamson Mandatory Credit: Nell Redmond-USA TODAY Sports /

Wake Forest: Daivien Williamson and Alondes Williams

Decrease in production: Daivien Williamson

The 6’2 point guard not only made the jump from playing in the Southern Conference with ETSU to the ACC with Wake Forest, but Daivien Williamson also increased his scoring average by over two points for a career-best average of 12.9 per game last season. The increase in scoring was a natural by-product of the over thirty-four minutes the former All-Southern Tournament First Team selectee averaged per game, nine minutes more than head coach Steve Forbes played anybody else.

With more options this season as freshman Robert McCray joins the Demon Deacons, as well as Indiana State transfer Jake LaRavia possibly forcing 6’3 Carter Whitt or 6’5 Alondes Williams into the backcourt – or Whitt to the bench if Coach Forbes goes to a more traditional lineup – Williamson will not have to monopolize the playing time at point guard.

Increase in production: Alondes Williams

During the fifty-five games Alondes Williams played wearing an Oklahoma jersey, he started in just twenty-four of them, while averaging a career-high 6.7 points per game last season despite getting fewer than nineteen minutes per contest. The good news for the 6’5 guard is that his five top-scoring performances all came in games when he played over twenty minutes, a feat that should come easy with the Demon Deacons’ thin backcourt.

Despite being in the same backcourt as Williamson and possibly falling victim to the same plight, Williams has a lot more room to improve. A factor that will benefit Williams is he will no longer be sharing the court with Austin Reaves (12.5 fga), De’Vion Harmon (10.5 fga), and Brady Manek ( 9.5 fga). Williamson led the Demon Deacons with an average of 9.7 field goals per game, now a full-time starter, Williams will get more than the 5.6 field goal attempts per game and that is good news for everybody except his defender if he continues to shoot 48 percent.