2024-25 ACC Conference Preview
The No Ceilings crew continues their NCAA Conference Preview round tables for the 2024-25 season with the ACC.
The college season is right about to kick into gear, and the NBA season has just gotten underway. While many of the rookies from the 2024 NBA Draft are starting to find their way, the 2024-2025 NCAA season will show prospect evaluators who might be the next young stars determining the NBA’s future.
Before the college season gets underway, we’ve gathered the No Ceilings collective for a roundtable to discuss some of the top prospects and players who might be primed to break out and establish themselves on the draft scene. Today, we continue those conference previews with the ACC.
1. Ignore “consensus” boards and Twitter groupthink. Who is the best NBA prospect in this conference?
Rucker: Capture the Flagg. The Maine Event. Coop. It’s the one you all should be familiar with by now. Believe the hype—Duke freshman Cooper Flagg has the goods.
Nick: It’s not exactly shocking, but the consensus #1 pick at this point in the 2025 NBA Draft process, Cooper Flagg, is the consensus pick for the best prospect in the conference. Players who have already put up electric performances against the US Olympic team before playing their first game in college don’t come around very often. Flagg has the goods on both ends of the floor to be a franchise-changing prospect, and he’ll have a season with one of the premier college basketball programs in the country to showcase that he has the goods before he begins his NBA career.
Albert: New Balance was smart to invest in Cooper Flagg now. He’s the future.
Metcalf: Cooper Flagg. It’s a boring answer, but don’t overthink it.
Rowan: When there’ve been phrases about tanking for you out for more than a year, it’s obvious: Cooper Flagg is the best in this and in any conference this year.
Jam: Without a doubt, Cooper Flagg—the likely wire-to-wire number one prospect in the class.
Austin: Kon Knuep—wait. Oh, yeah. It's Cooper Flagg. By a mile.
2. Admittedly, one of the most satisfying parts of analyzing the draft is being able to look back and say “psh, about time you guys took notice of him. I’ve been hyping him up for ages.” Who is the prospect that you are irrationally high on?
Rucker: One of my favorite returners this year is Pittsburgh sophomore Jaland Lowe. Lowe had some impressive showings last year while playing alongside freshman standout Bub Carrington. With Carrington off to the NBA, Lowe looks like a player who should be in serious conversations for breakout watch lists. He’s a crafty floor general at 6’3” who can showcase some serious wiggle on the court. Lowe finished off the year on a high note for the Panthers, averaging 13.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game in his last 11 games while shooting 41.2% from deep and 91.2% from the line. Don’t be surprised if he makes some noise early.
Nick: This is maybe more of an “I still believe” shout-out than an “about time you took notice” shout-out, but…I still believe in Tyrese Proctor. He’s approaching a bit of a make-or-break season now as a junior, but he struggled through injury for most of last season and didn’t quite get the chance to show that his stellar close to his freshman season was for real. If he can stay healthy and man the point at a high level this season, I’m willing to welcome the doubters back to the Proctor bandwagon.
Albert: Ian Schiefflin is my guy. Clemson had a nice run to the Elite Eight last season, but with PJ Hall gone, I think Schieffelin is ready to take on a bigger role for the Clemson Tigers. Schieffelin is an undersized big, but he’s a beast on the boards, as he averaged just under a double-double last season. He’s also a really good shooter that I think will shoot it more from outside this season, and he’s got real passing vision for a big. Chase Hunter will get most of the attention, but Schieffelin taking another leap this season would be tremendous for them.
Metcalf: I love Rowan’s shout with Baye Ndongo, but I’ll go with Omaha Biliew. Biliew was a really interesting freshman but didn’t get any run at Iowa State last year. Now at Wake Forest, I’m still a believer that he could make a monumental jump. Wake has done a really good job of developing and elevating transfers and raw players the last few years, and the hope is that Biliew is the next guy up.
Rowan: There were certainly flashes of this last year, but I’m pretty high on Baye Ndongo heading into this season for Georgia Tech. He’s got great mobility for a man his size, has some burgeoning shooting touch, and is a tough finisher on the inside. Combine that with his swatting skills, plus his ability to move his feet on defense, and you’ve got the outline of what NBA teams want out of modern big men. Ndongo should have a better team around him too, which should juice his profile and production in the ACC.
Jam: Great calls by Rucker and Rowan on Jaland Lowe and Baye Ndongo, respectively; those would be my two leading names. However, I want to show some love to Ndongo’s teammate, Naithan George. George, arguably the best passer in the conference, is a slick pick-and-roll operator with feel and shot-making upside. He capped a solid freshman campaign by scoring 24 points and dishing seven assists in a conference tournament loss against Notre Dame. Expect a sophomore surge for George this season.
Austin: Florida State senior Jamir Watkins might not get drafted in the first round due to his age, but I think the skill to deserve that kind of grade is absolutely there. He’s got a big, strong frame and can use it to defend almost every position on the court, but also does a little bit of everything on offense. Watkins has great hands and court vision and could slide into a point forward role at the next level. Just a marginal improvement in his outside shooting consistency would convince me this guy could be the real deal.
3. Unfortunately, there are two sides to that coin, and they do not have equal probabilities. Which prospect do you like but think has the most likely chance of failing to meet expectations?
Rucker: I’m not there when it comes to Duke freshman Khaman Maluach. The idea is a fun one, but it could be one that requires a lot of patience. Maluach has some strong measurables for a big man and raw tools you’d like to work with. But with a Duke Blue Devils roster that talented, I’m wondering just how much run he could get. I’ll be interested to see how he develops throughout the year.
Nick: Baba Miller’s freshman season at Florida State was a ridiculous mess for NCAA-related reasons, and Baba Miller deserves 0% of the blame for that nightmare. Last season, however, did not have that situation looming over it, and Miller looked a lot better–but still nothing like the theoretical defensive world-destroyer that he was billed to potentially become. I’m hopeful that his transfer to FAU will help him to show the best of his abilities, but I’m skeptical after Year Two in a way that I couldn’t bring myself to be after Year One.
Albert: I’m interested in Jalil Bethea as a prospect, but I’m really worried about the situation he’s in. With Matthew Cleveland and Nijel Pack still on the squad, I’m struggling to see how Bethea will get the opportunities to show off what he can do with the ball in his hands. Adding Lynn Kidd is another thing to consider, as he also averaged more than double-digit points per game last season. I’m not saying Bethea can’t shine, but I don’t think there’s a clear path to him getting the requisite opportunities to show what he can do.
Metcalf: The idea of Khaman Maluach is fantastic. Massive center who can space the floor and protect the rim: sign me up. I worry about how realistic and tangible his impact will be, though. He was underwhelming at Hoop Summit, and I’m not totally convinced that he’s ready to make the leap. With how much talent is on this Duke team, it wouldn’t be shocking if Maluach slowly fades to the periphery.
Rowan: There’s a lot to like about Ian Jackson as a prospect, but this may be a case of “good player, bad fit.” Jackson’s a talented shot-taker who needs the ball in his hands to be most successful. There’s no real path to that this season, as Elliot Cadeau and RJ Davis stand in his way in the starting lineup as guards. That’s not even counting the touches that Drake Powell, Cade Tyson, and Ven-Allen Lubin will need, leaving Jackson with only a few chances to show what he’s best at. It could all break right for him if he balls out early, but the best-case outcome for Jackson would be a role as a super sub, which sells his talents a bit short.
Jam: I, unfortunately, share the same sentiments around Khaman Maluach. The potential is massive, just like his 7’2”, 250-pound frame that features a 7’5” wingspan. There are the makings of a stretch five defensive anchor with functional ball skills, but what exactly translates in Year One or Year Two in the NBA? How far away is he from playing significant NBA minutes? The overall expectation is for Maluach to be one-and-done; however, I would love to see him develop as a multi-year player at Duke and leave as a more NBA-ready player.
Austin: FAU’s Baba Miller is this year’s ultimate raw, high-ceiling, high-floor prospect, and right now, I see him closer to that floor. He’s essentially a seven-foot guard who doesn’t have the strength a seven-footer should have or the outside shot I want a guard to have. He should instantly make an impact on defense and I like how aware he is on the court, but put me down as skeptical.
4. The shiny new thing is always the most enticing to go after, but there is always a ton of value in older prospects. Based on their previous college seasons, which returning player are you most excited to watch and has the best NBA potential?
Rucker: Wake Forest guard Hunter Sallis should be a popular answer, but let’s spice things up a little bit. I’m still going to war for North Carolina sophomore guard Elliot Cadeau. After some flashes last year, Cadeau will be back for his sophomore year and should be the engine that helps this North Carolina team run as a tone-setter. Cadeau has great feel and playmaking ability in his game. He should have the potential this year to put up some fun numbers, especially if the outside shot comes around. Plenty are watching closely with this North Carolina team, as there is a LOT of talent on this roster. How that rotation carves out will be interesting, but Cadeau should be one to watch with his ability to get teammates easy buckets.
Nick: This is tricky for me, because I’m a big believer in three of the popular picks among my colleagues–Jamir Watkins and Elliot Cadeau are both players who I expect to be drawn in by this season, and I’m willing to bet that both of them will be in and around my Top 60 for most of the season. They’re the honorable mentions for me, though; I have to go with Hunter Sallis for this pick. I started the year skeptical about his hot start for Wake Forest, then bought in more and more as the season went on. I was surprised that he decided to return to school, and I will also be surprised if he does not go in the first round in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Albert: I think Wake Forest has a duo that could be really interesting this year. After two unspectacular years at Gonzaga, Hunter Sallis joined the Demon Deacons last season and had an awesome season. Many thought Sallis was going to leverage that season and jump into the NBA draft last season, but ultimately decided to come back to school. It’ll be interesting to see if Sallis takes another step forward and puts himself in the first-round conversation or the 2025 NBA draft. Like Sallis, Omaha Biliew had a rough first season at Iowa State and ended up at Wake Forest. Biliew was a five-star prospect coming out of high school with a ton of talent. It’ll be interesting to see if he can have a redemptive season like Sallis had last season. If he does, he could be an exciting partner for Sallis this season, given what he can offer on both ends of the floor.
Metcalf: While Jamir Watkins had a ton of fans last season, I struggled to fully buy in. The scoring, rim pressure, and flashes of playmaking and defense were fantastic, but so much of it felt like just an upperclassman playing bully ball. I have a ton of questions about his shooting, defensive consistency, and decision-making. There is a ton of talent there, and I want to see what everyone else fell in love with; I’m just hesitant and really excited to see what his growth over the summer looks like.
Rowan: It was an unexpectedly resurgent year for Hunter Sallis at Wake Forest last year, and I was shocked to see him return to college. Sallis showed off exactly what many had wanted to see since he arrived at Gonzaga: he was a great shooter from deep, drove with intention, finished well at the cup, and spread the ball around a bit, too. With his length helping him to play passing lanes and score over taller defenders, there’s a lot to like about Sallis as a wing at the NBA level. I’m excited to see what steps he can take next year with further comfort in the Demon Deacons’s system.
Jam: With Hunter Sallis rightfully making a lot of noise here, I’ll go with Jaland Lowe. I’m a firm believer in his lottery-level talent, and he should have every opportunity as Pitt’s engine to match it with production. He brings that crafty lefty feel and multi-level shot-making alongside the ability to thrive in pick-and-rolls as both a shot-creator and playmaker. There is real NBA starter upside in Lowe.
Austin: Put me down next to Rucker for UNC’s Elliot Cadeau! Yes, he’s a skilled passer in both the halfcourt and transition. However, it’s his change of pace and handle package that really elevate him as a prospect for me. I’ll be watching and hoping that Cadeau rises to the top of this stacked Tar Heels roster.
5. Whether it’s Anthony Edwards dropping 37 points against Michigan State, or Austin Rivers ripping the heart out of UNC fans, or De’Aaron Fox vs. Lonzo Ball, fans are provided with mesmerizing matchups and performances every season. Which matchup, whether team vs. team, player vs. player, or player vs. team, are you most looking forward to watching?
Rucker: Duke vs Arizona on November 22nd should have every scout and NBA Draft fan’s attention.
Nick: UNC vs. Duke. This is one of the easiest rivalry picks in college basketball, and this year, the matchup will also feature the presumptive #1 pick and a bunch of other top prospects. Sign me all the way up for these two contests.
Albert: Every Duke game should be must-see TV. The Cooper Flagg experience has to be monitored.
Metcalf: Give me both Duke vs. UNC matchups. I’m very excited to see how the litany of freshman studs on both teams react to and handle the respective hostile environments.
Rowan: It’s a bit of a bizarro choice, but I’m looking forward to Miami playing Louisville on February 8th this year. The Hurricanes have one of my favorite guard prospects in Jalil Bethea, alongside another player I liked last year in Matthew Cleveland. The Cardinals completely renovated their roster under Pat Kelsey, and seeing which of Terrance Edwards Jr., Kasean Pryor, Khani Rooths, and Aboubacar Traore can emerge for Louisville will be a fun subplot for the season. Sign me up for this underrated clash.
Jam: January 27th, North Carolina State at Duke. One of my favorite freshmen in the country, Paul McNeil, gets a chance for a big resume on the road against Duke’s elite prospects.
Austin: Gotta be UNC vs. Duke—either of their games. The rivalry will only highlight how important this matchup is for draft purposes.