Basketball season is a little under a month and a half away, and Wake Forest hosted their official Media Day on Monday, which also happened to be the first day of official practice. We spoke with Coach Steve Forbes and the players and watched practice. The Deacs roster is mostly comprised of newcomers, so it was very interesting to see them on the court together.
Here are the biggest takeaways from the first day of practice, including some surprises and areas the Deacs will need to improve before the season.
Versatile Size
The one immediate physical characteristic that stands out about this group is their size. The roster includes three guys 6'11" or taller and three more 6'8". This was something last year's team desperately missed and should play a large factor this season.
The interesting thing is that all the big guys seem to play different styles of basketball. Freshman Gavin Placide seems to be more comfortable at the four but can also play the five. He moves really well for a guy his size. His strength is probably his ability to get other people involved, as he makes good passes, especially out of the high and low posts, and can also finish at the rim. He is a smart player who makes the right reads without putting the ball in harm's way. Deac fans should expect the freshman to be a well-rounded big who continues to get more comfortable as the season goes along.
Xander Pintelon stands at 6'11" but plays as more of a stretch big. He will be slotted in at the four and has a perimeter shot that defenses will have to account for. We also saw him make some powerful plays under the basket as well, so that ability is there. He should be a plus defender for this team as well, with his length.
Antonio Dorn is a 7'0" true center from Virginia Tech. He can get out on the perimeter, but is best in the post, where he can finish around the basket, lead the team in rebounds, and defend the rim. He is more of a traditional big man but is working to continue to develop his jump shot. We did not get to see a lot of him, as he is still working back from injury, but he will be a factor as well. Justin Abson is still waiting on his eligibility case, but he did practice and brings added size to the frontcourt and is strongest around the basket.
Make every grain of that sand count pic.twitter.com/9bHHU1Ljgo
– Wake Forest Men's Basketball (@WakeMBB) September 21, 2026
Shooting Stars
Two players in particular stood out in practice for their ability to knock down threes at a very consistent clip. Transfer Justin Ray and returner Vinny Ricchiuti traded threes for their respective sides on several occasions.
Ray was brought in after spending two years at Monmouth. He averaged a stellar 42% from three this past season, and it seems like that same type of long-distance shooting production should be expected from him for the Deacs, based on what we saw at practice. He has a super smooth stroke and is not afraid to pull it up from beyond the arc.
Work in Progress
There are still some things that this team is trying to shore up as they continue to prepare for the season. One big thing that stood out was defensive rebounding. The offensive team would frequently be able to grab rebounds to gain extra possessions. Now, granted, maybe the best rebounder on the team, Antonio Dorn, was out for most of this practice. Still, it would be great to see this team continue to clean up the glass better as they get closer to the season. We have seen how important rebounding is in winning college basketball games, and the Deacs have all the tools to do it well with their size.
Transfer guard Kevair Kennedy was an exception to this, as he may have been the leading rebounder of the practice despite his 6'2 frame. The speedy guard just has a nose for the ball and is not afraid to go after it. This is a good sign early on from the Deacs' point guard, as he is a very assertive playmaker. It will be interesting to see how he continues to grow as we get into the season.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/wake-forest as What Stood Out From Wake Forest Men's Basketball's First Official Practice.