ACC Basketball: Way-too-early power rankings for 2022-23 season

Mar 27, 2022; Philadelphia, PA, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels pose for a photo after the Tar Heels defeated the St. Peters Peacocks in the finals of the East regional of the men's college basketball NCAA Tournament at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

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Florida State Seminoles guard Matthew Cleveland ACC Basketball Fsu V Florida College1270 /

3. Florida State Seminoles

Last season was a rare disappoiting one for Coach Leonard Hamilton and the Seminoles. But there were things going on behind the scenes, including a team manage dealing with Cancer and players having family issues and covid problems. The first hope is that the program can be able to focus on the court and there’s a lot of talent to work with.

They’ll be without eight players from last season’s roster, including veterans Malik Osbourne, RayQuan Evans, Anthony Polite, and John Butler, the 7’0 freshman wing that could’ve been a breakout star had he remained. But they did land a pair of key transfers in double-digit scoring guard Darin Green from UCF, and Jaylen Gainey, a 6’9 forward from Brown and Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year.

They join a six-man incoming freshmen class that features four-star forwards, Cameron Corhen, Baba Miller, and De’Ante Green. When the frontcourt plays well, Florida State is a team that can make a run in March but the freshmen and transfers will have to prove it.

There’s also the guards and returning leading scorers, Matthew Cleveland and Caleb Mills. Cleveland, a former five-star prospect at 11.5 ppg has a great chance to be a national breakout player. If his average grows into around 16 ppg, then Florida State will be an ACC contender.

There’s a clear top-2 in the ACC (spoiler alert) so the race for No. 3 will be interesting. There are a number of teams that can rise to that spot but I currently have the most confidence that the Seminoles can place there.