ACC Basketball: Way-too-early power rankings for 2024-25 season

8. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 

2023-24 season record: 14-18 (7-13 ACC)

Speaking of first-year ACC Basketball head coaches, Damon Staoudamire had an interesting season with the Yellow Jackets. They pulled out wins over teams like Duke, UNC, Clemson, and Mississippi State, while also losing to UMass-Lowell, Louisville, and Notre Dame (2x). 

Like Notre Dame, Georgia Tech has benefitted from its top four scorers sticking around. That includes the freshmen duo of Naithan George and Baye Ndongo, two standout performers from this past season. Leading scorer Miles Kelly (13.9 ppg) is in the NBA Draft process but he’s likely to return for a 5th year.

And the team will have plenty of backcourt depth, regardless of what Kelly does. Javian McCullom (13.3 ppg and 3.4 apg) led Oklahoma in scoring and passing and can play on and off the ball. Luke O’Brien is a 6’8 forward from Colorado, averaging 6.7 ppg in 24 mpg and 19 starts. Plus, they landed former Colorado center commit, Doryan Onwucheka.

The Yellow Jackets could probably use some more frontcourt depth alongside Ndongo but the backcourt, especially if top-50 incoming freshman commit JAeden Mustaf is any good. More importantly, the team itself will have to show that they can beat both good and bad teams to move up the standings.