ACC Basketball: Louisville, Wake Forest rise in updated way-too-early ranking for 2024-25

13. SMU Mustangs

While in the American Athletic Conference, SMU was a mostly mid-tier program in the past few years. But with a new head coach (Andy Enfield from USC) and a completely new roster, there’s a decent chance that this team can surprise first in the first year of the ACC.

The Mustangs do return the starting backcourt of Chuck Harris and BJ Edwards, with Harris being second in scoring with 13.4 ppg and 3.4 apg. Joining them are a pair of power conference guards, including Kario Oquendo from Oregon and Kevin Miller, who averaged 15.6 ppg and 3.5 apg at Wake Forest and is a proven ACC star offensive player.

Oquendo and Long Beach State transfer AJ George (10.6 ppg on 53% FG) are the expected wings on the roster and there’s some potential with the new-look frontcourt. Keon Ambrose-Hylton is the lone returner, joined by UMass transfer forward and former Louisville/Miami player, Matt Cross. 

Tibet Gorener comes from San Jose State to add some depth at center and Yohan Traore is the big x-factor here. The former 5-star center prospect did nothing as a freshman at Auburn but averaged 14.5 ppg at UC Santa Barbara last season. If he can be effective back in the power conference level, SMU’s frontcourt will be good enough to compete in the ACC.

And that’s before they potentially land Kansas State transfer Arthur Kaluma, the last key player left in the portal.