SI Picks NC State 6th in ACC

Sports Illustrated released their projected ACC standings at the end of the 2016-17 college basketball season, and they picked NC State 6th.

Here is what they had to say about the Wolfpack:

The Wolfpack finished 5–13 last season and lost leader Cat Barber, but SI projects them to improve with the additions of five-star freshmen Smith and Turkish import Omer Yurtseven (as long as he gets eligible), as well as the return of shooting guard Terry Henderson from an injury. This is an NCAA tournament and Top 25 team if everything breaks right.

It’s no surprise that people think Dennis Smith Jr is good. They picked him as their “newcomer of the year” and 1st team All-ACC.

Duke’s Tatum and Giles will give Smith some competition, but he’ll be dominating the ball for the Wolfpack, and we project him to average 15.4 points with a high rate of efficiency, along with 5.5 assists and 4.5 rebounds. Those are numbers reminiscent (and even a tad better) than what Chris Paul posted as a freshman point guard at Wake Forest in 2003–04.

SI’s All-ACC Team

Grayson Allen, Duke
Joel Berry, UNC
Dennis Smith Jr., NC State
Jaron Blossomgame, Clemson
Zach LeDay, Virginia Tech

SI Projected ACC Standings

1) Duke
2) UNC
3) UVA
4) Louisville
5) Syracuse
6) NC State
7) Miami
8) Clemson
9) Virginia Tech
10) Notre Dame
11) FSU
12) Pitt
13) Wake Forest
14) Georgia Tech
15) Boston College

Projected Stats