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ACC Basketball: Ranking the top 10 impact transfers of 2021-22 season

By Cooper Watson

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - JANUARY 15: Alondes Williams #31 of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons holds the ball during a game against the Virginia Cavaliers at John Paul Jones Arena on January 15, 2022 in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo by Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - JANUARY 15: Alondes Williams #31 of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons holds the ball during a game against the Virginia Cavaliers at John Paul Jones Arena on January 15, 2022 in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo by Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images) /
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ACC Basketball Alondes Williams Wake Forest Demon Deacons (Photo by Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images)
ACC Basketball Alondes Williams Wake Forest Demon Deacons (Photo by Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images) /

1. Alondes Williams – Wake Forest

Williams has been the best transfer in the ACC this season, but he’s also the likely frontrunner for ACC Player of the Year. Duke’s Paolo Banchero is his main competition in that regard, while North Carolina’s Armando Bacot and Miami’s Isaiah Wong also deserve some recognition.

Williams is averaging 19.8 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 5.2 assists on the season—first in the ACC in points and assists per game. He’s also the only Division I player currently averaging 19+ points, 7+ boards, and 5+ assists. To pile on the stats, there have been just two players to average 19+ points, 7+ rebounds, and 5+ assists on 50% shooting in the last 30 seasons. Alondes Williams is on track to make it three.

Although Williams played more of a wing role at Oklahoma the past two seasons, he has thrived as the primary ball-handler and playmaker for Wake Forest this season. Most players see a decline in their efficiency when they receive a bump in minutes and usage. That hasn’t been the case for Williams, who is shooting 52.4% from the field and has nearly doubled his 3-point percentage from last season.

Williams is an excellent athlete who can score at all three levels and plays at a contagious pace, but his most striking attribute is his passing. In addition to leading the ACC in assists per game, he also ranks first in assist rate, per KenPom. The stats detail the results, but his vision and basketball IQ are evident from just watching him play.

Here’s just one example of Williams’ vision from the Deacs’ overtime win over Syracuse on Jan. 8:

Most importantly, Wake Forest is winning. The Deacs are currently 19-5 overall and 9-4 in the ACC — on track for its best season in over a decade. There are very few, if any, coaches and programs that have had more success with transfers than Steve Forbes and Wake Forest this season.

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Wake Forest is a nationally relevant brand again; Williams and the aforementioned LaRavia have been a key element of that revitalization.