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

5. Wake Forest Demon Deacons

2023-24 season record: 21-14 (11-9 ACC)

The pattern continues for the Demon Deacons under Coach Steve Forbes; good enough to contend in the ACC but just missing out on the Big Dance. And they lose a couple of big pieces to the team, as starting guard Kevin Miller (15.6 ppg and 3.5 apg) and forward Andrew Carr (13.5 ppg and 6.8 rpg) entered the portal.

Another “entrant” for the Deacons to deal with is Hunter Sallis. The breakout star transfer from Gonzaga led the team with 18.0 ppg. He entered the NBA Draft process and it could go either way with him. For now, I’m operating under the view that he’ll be back. So he, Cameron Hildreth, and Efton Reid alone would be a formidable returning trio.

Wake Forest also has landed a trio of transfers, including one lottery ticket. Omaha Biliew is a former 5-star prospect who didn’t play much as a freshman at Iowa State. He could be the next breakout star that Coach Forbes developes.

The other two transfers are Davin Crosby, a former four-star reserve guard from Alabama, and Tre’Von Spillers, a 6’7 forward from Appalachian State who averaged 12.8 ppg and 8.9 rpg on 60% shooting. He and Biliew don’t shoot like Carr did but will make the Deacons a much more imposing and athletic frontcourt to deal with. As long as Sallis returns, this is an NCAA Tournament-caliber roster.