It’s tempting to say, poor Steve Forbes. Like NC State and UNC, Wake Forest is in a near total rebuild. Unlike his in-state rivals, Wake Forest has had a tough time adapting to the new environment in college basketball.
Wake doesn’t publicize its NIL budget, but two words tell you what you need to know: Juke Harris.
Harris was a four-star, Top 50 recruit who Forbes and his staff really worked hard with and turned him into a star. But when he explored his market value, Wake could not keep him. There could be more to it than money, of course, but whatever it is, he’s gone, and money is bound to be a factor.
Wake AD John Curry has discussed the need to raise more money and seems to be diligently applying himself to that end, but Wake Forest only has about 5,500 undergrads. It’s not a poor school by any means, but it is a small school and football makes demands on the budget as well. So Forbes is in a tough spot.
And it’s too bad because his teams are smart, play hard, and compete well. At least for now, he’s handicapped by not having an equivalent level of talent as Wake’s ACC rivals.
Last year, the Demon Deacons finished at just 18-17. We don’t think the fans are rebelling yet, but they have before. Hopefully, they recognize that he’s a quality coach and support him.
Okay, let’s get into the roster.
Returnees
- Isaac Carr – 6-4/187/JR
- Vincent Ricchiuiti – 6-6/195/SR
- Will Underwood – 6-3/180/SR
- Anson Beard – 6/5/215/SO
Portal
- Antonio Dorn – 7-0/230/JR (Virginia Tech)
- Kevair Kennedy – 6-2/165/SO (Merrimack)
- Jamari McDowell – 6-5/200/R-JR (Kansas)
- Vincent Chaudhri – 6-7/190/R-FR (George Washington)
- Xander Pintelon – 6-11/220/SR (FAU)
- Ring Nyeri – 6-8/185/JR (Northern Colorado)
Freshmen
- Gavin Placide – 6-9/4 star
- Gallagher Placide – 6-8/4 star
Forbes only has four guys back, and unless you’re a Demon Deacons fan, odds are you won’t remember them. That’s not to say they couldn’t excel this season, just that none of them really have so far.
Wake is basically in a total rebuild, as noted above, and their most critical player is probably Kevair Kennedy. A 6-2 guard from Merrimack, he was a revelation as a freshman. He averaged 18.4 ppg, 4.7 rebounds, and 4.2 assists. He was also the MAAC Freshman and Player of the Year. He’s going to start at point, and if he can play at the ACC level, it’s a huge boon for Wake.
He’ll probably partner with Kansas transfer Jamari McDowell in the backcourt. McDowell doesn’t have gaudy stats. He put up 3.3 ppg, pulled down 1.6 boards, and managed 1.1. assists. But he tended to show up in big games, and Jayhawk coach Bill Self really seemed to appreciate him. He’ll get more minutes at Wake and a chance to excel.
Dorn will probably start at center. His stats aren’t much to brag about, but he’s 7-0, 230, and he’s 23-years-old. In his last game this past season, he scored 8 on Wake Forest, pulled down 7 rebounds, had 3 assists and 2 blocks.
He could be useful, and Forbes has done pretty well with some other big man transfers. He’s also physically mature, which should help.
If it’s not Dorn, it might be Pintleton. He appears to be more mobile than Dorn, and has three-point range. At a minimum, those guys give Wake Forest two different types of big men.
Nyeri and Chaudri are both really lean and that could be a problem. Nyeri is 6-8 and just 185, so odds are he’ll get pushed around a good bit. However, he has three point range, and is apparently fairly athletic.
As for Chaudri, it’s impossible to know. He was a redshirt freshman at GW last season, and no one other than the staff saw him play. Presumably, the Wake staff saw him in high school and was impressed enough to keep tabs on him.
As for the freshmen, Wake adds to the ACC tradition of twins with the Placide brothers.
Gavin is a Top 50 recruit, and apparently an excellent defender. Brother Gallagher is a bit shorter at 6-8 and more perimeter oriented.
They are the highest rated recruits Forbes has gotten at Wake Forest.
So if you accept a two-headed center with Dorn and Pintelton, Forbes could start Gavin Placide at one forward, perhaps Nyeri or Gallagher Placide at the other, and have a decent backcourt with Kennedy and McDowell. From a distance, it looks like a team that could defend well and has some three-point potential, but like a lot of teams this year, we’ll have to see them in action to get a firm idea.
However, don’t underestimate Forbes. He hasn’t had the talent other coaches have had, but he clearly is an excellent coach, and will get the most out of this group.
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