Top 3 underrated ACC point guards in 2024-25 season ft. Derin Saran

Some of the top teams in college basketball call ACC their home. They are set to welcome more teams to the conference as Stanford, California and SMU join from the 2024-25 season. This calls for the time to know some of the underrated point guards from the existing teams and the new ones.

Here are some of the underrated point guards from the Atlantic Coast Conference teams that we think you should keep an eye out for because of their potential.

Top 3 underrated ACC point guards in 2024-25 season

#1 Michael O'Connell

After three seasons with Stanford, Michael O'Connell transferred to the NC State Wolfpack last season. He played 41 games, the most in his career, and averaged 5.7 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists.

O'Connell played a vital role in the Wolfpack's Final Four run as the only ACC team. He is set to return to NC State for a final college eligibility season. With DJ Burns Jr. and DJ Horne, both crucial players in that postseason run, moving to the NBA, Michael O'Connell has the opportunity to take on a bigger role in the ACC 2024-25 season.

#2 Derin Saran

Stanford's incoming sophomore transfer Derin Saran averaged 10.1 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game last season at UC Irvine. He shot 50.2% from the floor and 34.9% from the 3-point line.

With Stanford's move to ACC and the firing of former coach Jerod Haase, there has been a major roster building as players transferred out. Coach Kyle Smith now helms the team as he also oversees the move to the ACC. Derin Saran has the opportunity to deliver as a Cardinal, putting his scoring and passing proficiency to the best. He could easily compete for a starting role as well.

“Derin possesses good size and skill in the backcourt,” Smith said. “His ability to score and make plays with a high usage rate should translate well as he levels up to Stanford.”

#3 Nijel Pack

After a Final Four run in 2023, the Miami Hurricanes failed to live up to expectations and finished last in the ACC in the 2024 season with a 15-17 record. A transfer exodus later, the Canes have put together a roster with Nijel Pack leading from the front.

Pack averaged 13.3 points, 2.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists last season. As he is recovering from knee surgery, it is still unsure if he will be able to replicate his previous numbers in his final college season. While he could have transferred to make the best of his last chance, Nijel Pack chose not to. He explained (via On3):

“I really support and trust in what coach L and the rest of the coaches have for us. I want to be a leader on this team. I know transferring makes it kind of hard to be a leader, you’re a new guy.

"So being here, staying and trusting what the guys have and believing that coach L can go out and get some really good talent, which he was able to do – and then just trying to redo what we’ve done in the past. The past, we can’t go back, but we can look forward to the future and put things in our minds and manifest it and keep working for it.”