ACC Preview: Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Although the program is in a state of transition and tough times usually accompany coaching changes, former Coach Jeff Bzdelik did a poor job setting up his team for the future. In his four years in charge, Bzdelik led the Demon Deacons to a 51-76 record, and he leaves his successor, Danny Manning, a poor recruiting class to begin the rebuilding efforts. With two of the team’s top players, McKie and Williams, graduating this past May, there are serious roster gaps to be filled; however, the Demon Deacons only have two incoming recruits, and both are ranked considerably outside of the ESPN top 100. They may both have productive careers at Wake, but they are not the impact players that the team needs to be competitive in the ACC next year.

 

Key Losses

-Travis McKie, F (10.7 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 1.3 APG)

Although the 2013-14 season was the least productive of senior Travis McKie’s college career, he was still one of the major producers, and one of a few bright spots on a team that floundered its way to a 17-16 (6-12 ACC) record. McKie was one of the most consistent players to play for the Demon Deacons; he logged 1,600 points and 800 rebounds over four years on his way to earning two all-ACC honors. Next season, Devin Thomas will improve his game in the absence of McKie, but losing a player as talented as McKie will definitely be a setback for a team looking to rebound from a disappointing year.

-Coron Williams, G (10.2 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 40.3 3FG%)

Coron’s shooting ability will be sorely missed next season. A career 40% shooter from behind the arc, Williams was the best shooter Wake Forest had, and it wasn’t even close; he shot a clean 9% better than the next best shooter, Travis McKie. Although Wake Forest has two incoming freshman guards, it will be extremely difficult for them to replace what Williams brought to the team, especially in their first season.

 

Key Additions

-Mitchell Wilbekin, PG

Mitchell, the younger brother of Florida guard Scottie Wilbekin, is a talented floor leader who has a high basketball IQ and knows how to run an offense. He can pull up from midrange and get into the lane, but he needs to work on his size and strength to compete at the next level. Wilbekin, originally a Tulsa commit, decided on Wake Forest when former Tulsa coach Danny Manning accepted the job in Winston Salem.

NCAA Rankings- Top 5 Teams In The Nation
NCAA Rankings- Top 5 Teams In The Nation