An unprecedented offseason will hit college basketball for the second time in the last two years. With the NCAA granting every player a “free year” of eligibility due to COVID-19, nationwide roster turnover is about to spike.
Obviously, there are the NBA prospects that must decide what to do with the draft. Certainly, there are also players that will use the extra year to shop around and possibly transfer to another program, including guys who have already used up 4-5 years of eligibility.
However, this current landscape also creates another tier of players: those who could return to their schools, transfer elsewhere or go pro. These are players that aren’t on NBA radar, though. Their decisions to play professional will focus on other opportunities — both international and domestic.
Here, we’ll track which of these ACC Super Seniors plan to go pro, return to their current team or transfer to another program.
Going Pro
Boston College
- Steffon Mitchell, Power Forward
- Versatile 6-foot-8 defender, averaged 1.8 steal and 1.3 blocks per 40 minutes (career)
Miami
- Chris Lykes, Guard
- Played only 2 games in the 2020-21 season, but was a dynamic player his first three seasons with the Hurricanes: 1,256 career points (13.7 points per game, 165 3-pointers)
A couple of quick personnel notes for @CanesHoops: Jim Larrañaga announces that Chris Lykes is planning to turn pro, while Sam Waardenburg is set to return next season.
Waardenburg announced yesterday he planned to return to Miami.
— Christy Chirinos (@ChristyChirinos) March 25, 2021
Wake Forest
- Ian DuBose, Guard
- 10 starts; averaged 10.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.4 steals
- Transferred to Wake Forest last March from Houston Baptist
— Ian DuBose (@iandubose_) March 24, 2021
Returning
Georgia Tech
- Bubba Parham, Combo guard
- Career: 174 3-pointers in 118 games across four combined seasons with VMI and Georgia Tech
Miami
- Sam Waardenburg, Power forward
Transferring Out
Boston College
- Rich Kelly, Point guard
- 2020-21: 7 starts, 37.2 3P%
- Transferred to BC from Quinnipiac last March
Miami
- Elijah Olaniyi, Forward
- 18 starts in the 2020-21 season
Pittsburgh
- Terrell Brown, Center
- Headed to San Diego
Wake Forest
- Jalen Johnson, Wing
- 2020-21 season: 5 starts, 21 3-pointers