Busting Brackets
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ACC Basketball: Each team’s best acquisition out of 2023 transfer portal

By Jerran Anderson

Jan 24, 2023; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles guard Matthew Cleveland (35) reacts in the second half against the Miami Hurricanes at Donald L. Tucker Center. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 24, 2023; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles guard Matthew Cleveland (35) reacts in the second half against the Miami Hurricanes at Donald L. Tucker Center. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports
Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports /

Zack Austin – 6’7 Forward/Wing – Pittsburgh Panthers

Zack Austin climbed up the radar rather quickly in the Big South at High Point University before landing in the transfer portal and ultimately landing in the ACC with the Pittsburgh Panthers heading into his junior season. He joins their rotation as a prospect with high potential as an NBA Draft prospect so long as things keep improving.

Austin put up 14.1 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 2.1 bpg, 1.3 apg, and 1.1 spg on 43.7 percent shooting from the floor and 33.3 percent from 3-point range in 2022-23 at High Point while finishing second in the conference in total blocks (66), ninth in the conference in PER (20.9) and 10th in 3-pointers made (62).

He exploded for a career-high 12 points on 8-of-13 shooting from the floor and 5-of-9 shooting from 3-point range back on Jan. 21, 2023 against Radford University to really put himself on the map in the Big South. At the end of the season, he was named an Honorable Mention All-Conference selection.

At 6-foot-7, Austin is able to impact the game in a variety of ways with his mobility, length and athleticism. He has a knack for keeping opponents guessing in all facets of the game given his quickness at the wing-forward role. He can get to the rim in a hurry and make things happen in an instant, something the Panthers could definitely use in 2023-24.

With just four players returning from Pittsburgh’s 2022-23 squad, Austin’s addition certainly fills a number of needs given his prowess for scoring the ball on the perimeter and around the rim and rebounding the ball.

He’s got a bright future ahead of him as a potential leader on both ends of the floor for Pittsburgh basketball as he joins Ishmael Leggett (Rhode Island) in the frontcourt out of the transfer portal.