Player of the Week
Jordan Usher, SG/SF, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
The Yellow Jackets needed someone other than Michael Devoe to emerge if they were going to avoid a home loss to Georgia State for the second season in a row. Jordan Usher rose to the occasion. With Devoe struggling and eventually fouled out of the game, Usher became the go-to scorer and finished with 30 points and 11 rebounds in 39 exhausting minutes.
The 6’7 senior knocked down several clutch shots in the overtime period and shot 5-6 from beyond the arc to lead the Yellow Jackets to victory. The team’s losing streak would have extended to five games with another loss and none would have been more demoralizing than this one. Thankfully for Usher, the Yellow Jackets still have a pulse and will return to conference play with a huge gut-check win under their belt.
Who’s Hot?
Kameron McGusty, SG/SF, Miami Hurricanes
Believing McGusty is the best player on the floor for the Hurricanes is becoming more accurate every game he plays. He leads the ‘Canes in scoring with over 18 points per game and reached this average with a 27-point display to defeat Stetson on Monday night. He showed exactly why his development is so prevalent in this win: three-point shooting. McGusty finished 6-8 from beyond the arc to improve to 39% on the season, which would easily be a career high.
He was a solid player for two seasons at Oklahoma, but he is really starting to flourish for Jim Larranaga and the ‘Canes. The 24-year-old simply knows how to score and he is doing it better than he ever has before to lead his team to an impressive 9-3 start. This team and this player could really make some noise in a weak ACC and find their way into the NCAA Tournament as a sleeper.
Clemson Tigers
The Tigers had lost 11 games in a row against Virginia going into their matchup on Wednesday, but they snapped that skid with a dominant 17-point victory over the 7-5 Cavaliers in Charlottesville. Hunter Tyson stepped up with 17 points, his third consecutive game in double figures, as the Tigers stretched their winning streak to four games ahead of a huge clash at home against #2 Duke.
Who’s Not?
Michael Devoe, PG/SG, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
This entire season Devoe has been keeping his team in games and providing the only offense the Yellow Jackets could muster on their way to a disappointing 5-5 start. On Wednesday night, he was hurting the team a whole lot more than he was helping.
Foul trouble limited the senior to just 30 minutes, a season low, and he only shot 2-11 from the field while he was out there. The struggles extended to the three-point line and the foul line where he was 1-8 and 3-6, respectively. The 8-point output was also a season low and his 5 turnovers matched a season high. I can’t imagine we’ll see Devoe play any worse than he did on Wednesday night as the Yellow Jackets were lucky to escape with a victory to bump them above .500 on the season.
Mark Williams, C, #2 Duke Blue Devils
Williams is another player I never expected to see during this portion of the lists. But a week that nine total games in the conference will have that effect. He didn’t play bad, necessarily, but he was held scoreless and the Blue Devils started to find a rhythm without him on the floor. A lineup of Jeremy Roach, [Player: Trevor Keels, [Player: Wendell Moore, [Player: AJ Griffin and [Player: Paolo Banchero proved more effective throughout the game and could lead to less minutes for Williams going forward if it continues to be effective.
Top 5 NBA Prospects in the ACC
1. Paolo Banchero, PF, #2 Duke Blue Devils
I bet you could’ve guessed who would top this list. Banchero is not just the top prospect in the ACC, but he is one of the top prospects in the entire country with a legitimate shot to go first overall in the upcoming draft. His athleticism and three-level scoring are good enough to stand out at any size, but to do it while standing at 6’10 is freakish to say the least. He is fluid in his motion and can score from anywhere on the floor, either off the dribble or spotting up. He is a talented defender and a big-game player who didn’t back down from Chet Holmgren during the biggest game of the college basketball season thus far.
2. Blake Wesley, SG/PG, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
I can safely say I never expected to be writing about Blake Wesley this season, especially coming into the season. The star freshman proved me wrong, and a lot of other people wrong, with a few spectacular showings early in the season. He didn’t stop there and welcomed himself into the national spotlight with a game-winning shot to knock off #10 Kentucky. Wesley is still a young freshman and has been given the keys to the Irish’ offense, and has impressive shot-making skills and ball-handling for a 6’5 guard. The potential is off the charts for the Irish’s new star and that is what makes him most intriguing as an NBA prospect.
3. Caleb Love, PG/SG, North Carolina Tar Heels
After a disappointing freshman season in Chapel Hill, Love is stepping up his sophomore season with improved jump shooting while protecting the ball more on the offensive end. The 6’4 point guard plays with a lot of pace and worked incredibly hard on his jump shot to improve from 26% to 41% from beyond the arc. Love is a fast, creative guard with elite athleticism and potential to be a game-changing guard with more consistency at the next level.
4. Wendell Moore Jr., SG/SF, #2 Duke Blue Devils
Another player who improved his shooting and reaped the benefits is Wendell Moore. I think most Blue Devils fans groaned every time Moore took a jump shot last season and the numbers were on their side. Moore only shot 28% in his first two season from the perimeter. Now he is shooting 41% and doubled his assist average while reducing the hisf turnovers per game. The 6’5 junior is a tremendous facilitating wing who is starting to emerge as a shooter and disruptive defender, which will both earn him minutes for any NBA team next season.
5. Dereon Seabron, SG, NC State Wolfpack
Much like Wesley, Seabron is a player who was off my radar heading into the 2021 season. He quickly got my attention with four double-doubles in his first five games. After 39 points and 19 rebounds in 56 minutes against Nebraska, it was impossible for me to ignore him. The redshirt sophomore plays lightning fast and is a nightmare in transition. He stands at 6’7 and while his wingspan is not listed, you can tell his length is a factor on both ends. He is an effective slasher with long strides and a quick first step who is impossible to catch from behind due to these two traits. Seabron is a first-round sleeper with serious lottery potential, so keep an eye on this one.