ACC Basketball: Top 10 returning players to watch for 2024-25 season

4. Brandon Huntley-Hatfield - NC State Wolfpack

2023-24 Averages: 12.9 PTS, 8.4 REB, 1.0 AST

Brandon Huntley-Hatfield joins NC State this season after transferring in to replace the losses of DJ Burns Jr. and Mohammed Diarra in the frontcourt. Standing out among everyone else on the floor, Huntley-Hatfield is freakishly athletic and uses his size and athleticism to finish through contact with ease and will even step out and take defenders off of the dribble to create at times.

He is undoubtedly one of the best athletes in the ACC at 6'10 240 lbs. and moves with a smoothness that is tough for any big man to try and contain. After taking a huge step forward in scoring this past season by nearly doubling his per-game average from 2022, I would expect another phenomenal year out of the senior starring in the Wolfpack offense for Kevin Keatts.

3. Jamir Watkins - Florida State Seminoles

2023-24 Averages: 15.6 PTS, 6.0 REB, 2.8 AST

The former mid-major transfer returns to FSU after flirting with both the NBA Draft process and the transfer portal in the offseason. at 6'7 210 lbs., Watkins plays like a pro-level guard taking advantage of bigger defenders with speed while mixing in a post up game in and around the paint. His scoring prowess was on display all season and culminated with arguably his best offensive output of the year in the ACC tournament against Virginia Tech where he scored 34 points and added 11 rebounds.

It may not be a surprise to see even more usage and scoring production from Watkins given the players lost from last year's roster. Watkins should continue to spearhead the transition element of the Seminole offense in 2024-25.