With summer just about over, it is time to take a look back at how the ACC fared on the recruiting trail over the last few months. Of the 15 schools in the ACC, seven of them picked up a commitment between June and August. Florida State led the way with four summertime commitments. Louisville picked up a pair of players while five schools picked up a single commit (Clemson, Duke, Miami, North Carolina, and Virginia). The other five schools, Boston College, Georgia Tech, North Carolina State, Notre Dame, and Syracuse, all enter the fall without a single commitment.

Clemson

Malik William– 6’8, 200 lbs PF Committed: 7/27/16

William is the second recruit of Clemson’s 2017 class joining four-star shooting guard A.J. Oliver. The 6’8 forward chose Clemson over offers from UConn, UCF, Richmond, USF, West Virginia, Northern Arizona, and Duquesne. William is a solid player on both ends of the courts who does a little of everything to help his team. On defense, William is a solid shot blocker despite not being an elite athlete. He plays defense with his hands straight up and keeps most of the shots he blocks in play. Off of both rebounds and blocked shots, William has his head up and looking for the long outlet pass to start a fast break for his team.

In the halfcourt, William does most of his damage facing up. When his feet are set, William has shown the ability to knock down jump shots out to the perimeter. To reach his potential William needs to work on developing his post game and work on becoming more explosive around the rim.

Duke

Alex O’Connell– 6’5, 175 lbs SG Committed: 8/26/16

Duke offered O’Connell on August 24th, two days later O’Connell ended his recruitment when he committed to the Blue Devils. O’Connell is a difficult matchup for defenders thanks to his ability to go off from anywhere on the court. He is a marksman from behind the arc that blew up this summer adding offers from Louisville, Syracuse, Miami, and North Carolina State, among others. To be able to compete at the next level O’Connell must add some much-needed weight to his frame, which will come with time. From a basketball skill perspective, O’Connell needs to focus on tightening his handle and making the right pass. During his most recent AAU session, O’Connell had only 22 assists to 36 turnovers in 16 games played. As a side note, O’Connell’s father, Dave O’Connell, played for Duke from 1973-1976.

Florida State

Bryan Trimble– 6’3, 200 lbs SG Committed: 6/19/16

Trimble became the first commitment for the Seminoles back in mid-June. The 6’3 guard from Kansas City, Missouri committed right after he visited Tallahassee. Trimble is a bouncy athlete that finishes with ease in transition as well as off the bounce when attacking the rim. He gets good elevation on his jump shot, especially off the dribble. Trimble is a capable shooter from deep when he has his feet set. He has the measurables and athleticism to be an above average defender when he suits up for Florida State.

RaiQuan Gray– 6’8, 260 lbs PF Committed: 8/8/16

RaiQuan plays basketball like he is a guard even though he is listed at 6’8, 260 lbs. Gray is a very good passer and can score using either hand in the post. On top of that, Gray is comfortable handling the ball and shooting with some range when the opportunity presents itself. Gray’s game has shades of Draymond Green to it, especially on the offensive side where he does a little of everything. On the other side of the ball, Gray blocks a lot of shots without deflecting them out-of-bounds, which often leads to a fast break for his team.

Anthony Polite– 6’6, 21o lbs SG Committed: 8/30/16

Originally from Switzerland, Anthony Polite played at Saint Andrew’s School last season. Polite is anything but polite when he is on the basketball court and attacks the rim with aggression. The lefty is also a capable shooter that has shown the ability to stop and pop from mid-range. From the perimeter, Polite is a known shooter who can hit both off the catch as well as off the dribble. Thanks to his length and athleticism, Polite has shown the ability to defend either wing position, as well as help provide rebounding from the perimeter for the Seminoles.

Wyatt Wilkes– 6’7, 200 lbs PF Committed: 8/31/16

On the final day of August, Wyatt Wilkes became the fourth player to commit to FSU this summer. He selected the Seminoles over Missouri, Georgia Tech, and Creighton, among others. The 6’7 forward out of Winter Park High School decided to stay close to home for college. Wilkes is a skilled combo forward who can stretch the floor with his shooting and battle for rebounds down low. Wyatt has a high basketball IQ and is an excellent passer both in transition as well as out of the post. If Wilkes can improve his ball skills and add some strength, then he could be in the mix for some early minutes when he arrives in Tallahassee.

Louisville

Malik Williams– 6’11, 200 lbs PF/C Committed: 8/4/16

Williams is a consensus top-50 player in the class of 2017. The extremely long forward brings elite level shot blocking to the defensive side of the ball. His timing and athleticism make him a threat to swat anything within his reach. On the offensive side of the ball, Williams is an explosive finisher who scores a lot of his points from quick drop-off passes from penetrating guards. Williams has a developing jump shot from the mid-range that can stretch out to the perimeter if he is given the time to set his feet. To be effective at the next level, Malik must add weight to his 200-lb frame to avoid being pushed around in the ACC.

Darius Perry– 6’2, 170 lbs PG Committed: 8/16/16

Perry is a 6’2 score-first guard that is coming into his own as a floor general. He has an excellent handle and can change speeds in a split second, which allows him to get to the rim and finish. In transition, Perry is a very good passer that always keeps his head up. Perry is a relentless defender who uses his athleticism to apply pressure to the ball handler. Perry fits the mold of a Louisville guard perfectly, he is a tough, aggressive competitor who is capable of making shots and finding the open man.

Miami

Chris Lykes– 5’7, 150 lbs PG Committed: 6/12/16

Lykes is the shortest player in ESPN’s Top-100 at 5’7, but more than makes up for it with his speed and quickness. He has a very effective way of slithering through the defense and is a solid finisher around the rim. Lykes uses his tight handle to get defenders off-balance and create space to knock down his jumper. He can shoot both off of the catch as well as pulling up off of the dribble. Solid distributor both on the fast break as well as when he penetrates to the rim. On the defensive side of the ball, his lack of size does little to deter shooters from pulling up over him. He plays with a chip on his shoulder on both ends of the court and can pick the pockets of opposing guards if they are not careful with the ball.

North Carolina

Andrew Platek– 6’4, 190 lbs SG Committed: 7/18/16

The three-point specialist out of New York committed to North Carolina over offers from Indiana, Penn State, Miami, and Stanford. Platek is a high-level shooter that can knock down shots both spotted up as well as when he is running off of screens. He’s not the most athletic player, but makes up for that with a quick release and the ability to get his feet set quickly. Don’t be surprised to see Platek contribute as a freshman if he is able to get his shot off consistently at the college level.

Virginia

Marco Anthony– 6’6, 220 lbs CG Committed: 7/19/16

At 6’6 and 220 lbs, Anthony more than looks the part of a college-ready guard with the game to match. Anthony is a capable three-point shooter and has a quick first step to the rim thanks to his length. When attacking the basket, Anthony uses his strength to absorb contact from the defender and still finish. He is a good passer with excellent court vision out of the high post who is capable of knocking down the shot when defenders sag. On the defensive side of the ball, Anthony uses his long arms to get into passing lanes and start the break. He is a solid athlete, but has room to improve his explosiveness.