Wake Forest Demon Deacons men's basketball


The Wake Forest Demon Deacons men's basketball team represents Wake Forest University in NCAA Division I college basketball and competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Through the years, the program has produced many NBA players, among them are Hall of Famer Tim Duncan, 12× All-Star Chris Paul, 1× All-Star Jeff Teague, Sixth Man of the Year Rodney Rogers, and 1× All-Star Josh Howard. The Demon Deacons have won the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament four times, in 1961, 1962, 1995, and 1996. Wake Forest has appeared in 23 NCAA tournaments, most recently appearing in 2017. The current coach is Steve Forbes, who was hired on April 30, 2020.
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History

Dave Odom era (1989–2001)

In 1989, Wake Forest would name Dave Odom as its new head coach. During his 12 seasons, Odom led the Demon Deacons to back-to-back ACC men's basketball tournament championship's in 1995 where the team defeated North Carolina and 1996 by defeating Georgia Tech. Tim Duncan would also win back to back-to-back ACC Player of the Year awards in 1996 and 1997.

Skip Prosser era (2001–2007)

Prosser began his career at Wake Forest in 2001 and led the Demon Deacons to the NCAA tournament in each of his first four years there. Prosser is credited for sparking participation in the Wake Forest student Screamin' Demons and increasing attendance with game-time antics, like having the Demon Deacon mascot enter Lawrence Joel on a Harley Davidson and filling the coliseum with Zombie Nation's "Kernkraft 400" at tip-off and when the Deacons would go on a run. During Prosser's tenure as head coach, home season tickets sold out for the first time ever in 2004. During the 2004–05 season, the team was ranked #1 by the Associated Press for the first time in the school's history and won a school-record 27 games. At Wake Forest, Prosser won 100 games faster than all but two ACC coaches. In 2003, his Demon Deacons squad became the first from the ACC to ever lead the nation in rebounding. In the summer of 2007, Prosser had organized what was said to be a top-five recruiting class for the upcoming year.
Every senior whom Prosser coached earned his degree in four years.

Danny Manning era (2014–2020)

On April 8, 2014, Wake Forest announced the hiring of Danny Manning. Despite high expectations entering his first season, the Demon Deacons only finished with a 13–19 overall record and 5–13 record in the ACC. They would lose to Virginia Tech in the first round of the ACC tournament.
In Manning's second season, Wake Forest's 2015 recruiting class added the commitments of John Collins, Bryant Crawford, and Doral Moore. However, Wake Forest would have another disappointing season finishing the year 11–20 on the regular season and a 2–16 overall record in ACC play.
During Manning's third year at helm, despite losing seniors Codi Miller-McIntyre and Devin Thomas, Wake Forest started the 2016–17 season off very strong. Wake Forest entered the 2017 ACC tournament as the 10th seed and defeated Boston College in the first round of the ACC Tournament. On March 8, 2017, Wake Forest lost to Virginia Tech in the second round of the ACC Tournament. The team also earned a bid in the NCAA Tournament. Wake Forest finished 19–14 on the season and 9–9 in ACC play finishing 10th in the standings. Following the 2019–20 season, after six seasons with the team, Manning was relieved of his duties as head coach.

Steve Forbes era (2020–present)

On April 30, 2020, Steve Forbes was named as the new head coach for Wake Forest.

Coaches

Current coaching staff

Former head coaches

Facilities

Game day

Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum

The Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum is a 14,407-seat multi-purpose arena in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It was named after Lawrence Joel, an Army medic from Winston-Salem who was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1967 for action in Vietnam on November 8, 1965. The memorial was designed by James Ford in New York, and includes the poem "The Fallen" engraved on an interior wall. It is home to Wake Forest's men's and women's basketball teams, and is adjacent to the Dixie Classic Fairgrounds. The arena replaced the old Winston-Salem War Memorial Coliseum, which was torn down for the LJVM Coliseum's construction.
Banners hang in the rafters commemorating past players' retired numbers and the late Skip Prosser. There are also banners recognizing the Demon Deacons' past NCAA and ACC successes. The arena is home to the Screamin' Demon student section. Wake Forest's black and gold tie-dyed apparel and "Zombie Nation" were both implemented upon Prosser's arrival at Wake Forest.

Practice

Miller Center

The Miller Center is the basketball team's on-campus home. It houses the players' locker rooms, team meeting rooms, coaches' offices, and the Dave Budd Practice Gym. The players utilize the Miller Center for practice, meetings, academic work, and relaxing with their teammates.
The Dave Budd Practice Gym has a full-length court, six stand alone baskets, bleacher seating and banners honoring some of the best players to ever don the black and gold. The locker room includes a separate player lounge which features multiple large flat screen TVs, multiple entertainment systems plus the latest video software, as well as dedicated equipment and training rooms. On August 7, 2018, Chris Paul donated $2.5 million to the Wake Forest basketball program.

Sutton Sports Performance Center/Shah Basketball Complex

The grand opening for the Sutton Sports Performance Center and the Shah Basketball Complex occurred in September, 2019 and provides Wake Forest with a state-of-the-art center for strength and conditioning and nutrition as well as providing space for coaches offices, team meeting rooms, and heritage areas that celebrate the success of Wake Forest's sports programs.
Ben Sutton donated $15 million for the construction of the Sutton Sports Performance Center. The four-level, 87,000 square foot facility provides strength and conditioning facilities for all of Wake Forest's student-athletes. Preliminary site work began in October 2017 and was completed in September, 2019. The facility connects to McCreary Field House and the Miller Center. The Sutton Sports Performance Center provides more than 10,000 square feet of dedicated strength and conditioning equipment for football. There is also space for strength and conditioning equipment for men's and women's Olympic sports.
The third floor of the Sutton Sports Performance Center includes 17,000 square feet of meeting rooms, coaches offices and a heritage area for the men's and women's basketball program. The fourth floor has over 18,000 square feet for football coaches offices, team meeting rooms and a heritage area. Over 1,500 square feet comprises a customized nutrition center. The Shah Basketball Complex, named in honor of Mit Shah whose $5 million lead gift made the facility possible, includes 24,400 square feet that allows both the men's and women's basketball programs to have dedicated practice areas. The $12 million project features the addition a regulation court that allows both programs to have interconnected practice areas featuring two practice courts and a total of 13 baskets. The Shah Complex features 6,000 square feet of strength and conditioning equipment for both the men's and women's basketball teams.

Postseason

NCAA tournament results

The Demon Deacons have appeared in the NCAA tournament 23 times. Their combined record is 28–23.
1939Elite EightOhio StateL 52–64
1953Sweet Sixteen
Regional 3rd Place		Holy Cross
Lebanon Valley		L 71–79
W 91–71
1961First Round
Sweet Sixteen
Elite Eight		St. John's
St. Bonaventure
Saint Joseph's		W 97–74
W 78–73
L 86–96
1962First Round
Sweet Sixteen
Elite Eight
Final Four
National 3rd Place		Yale
Saint Joseph's
Villanova
Ohio State
UCLA		W 92–82OT
W 96–85OT
W 79–69
L 68–84
W 82–80
1977First Round
Sweet Sixteen
Elite Eight		Arkansas
Southern Illinois
Marquette		W 86–80
W 86–81
L 68–82
1981#4Second Round#5 Boston CollegeL 64–67
1982#7First Round
Second Round		#10 Old Dominion
  1. 2 Memphis State
W 74–57L 55–56
1984#4Second Round
Sweet Sixteen
Elite Eight		#5 Kansas
  1. 1 DePaul
  2. 2 Houston
W 69–59W 73–71OT
L 63–68
1991#5First Round
Second Round		#12 Louisiana Tech
  1. 4 Alabama
W 71–65L 88–96
1992#9First Round#8 LouisvilleL 58–81
1993#5First Round
Second Round
Sweet Sixteen		#12 Chattanooga
  1. 4 Iowa
  2. 1 Kentucky
W 81–58W 84–78
L 69–103
1994#5First Round
Second Round		#12 College of Charleston
  1. 4 Kansas
W 68–58L 58–69
1995#1First Round
Second Round
Sweet Sixteen		#16 North Carolina A&T
  1. 9 Saint Louis
  2. 4 Oklahoma State
W 79–47W 64–59
L 66–71
1996#2First Round
Second Round
Sweet Sixteen
Elite Eight		#15 Northeast Louisiana
  1. 10 Texas
  2. 6 Louisville
  3. 1 Kentucky
W 64–50W 65–62
W 60–59
L 63–83
1997#3First Round
Second Round		#14 Saint Mary's
  1. 6 Stanford
W 68–46L 66–72
2001#7First Round#10 ButlerL 63–79
2002#7First Round
Second Round		#10 Pepperdine
  1. 2 Oregon
W 83–74L 87–92
2003#2First Round
Second Round		#15 East Tennessee State
  1. 10 Auburn
W 76–73L 62–68
2004#4First Round
Second Round
Sweet Sixteen		#13 VCU
  1. 12 Manhattan
  2. 1 Saint Joseph's
W 79–78W 84–80
L 80–84
2005#2First Round
Second Round		#15 Chattanooga
  1. 7 West Virginia
W 70–54L 105–1112OT
2009#4First Round#13 Cleveland StateL 69–84
2010#9First Round
Second Round		#8 Texas
  1. 1 Kentucky
W 81–80OTL 60–90
2017#11First Four#11 Kansas StateL 88–95

NIT results

The Demon Deacons have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament eight times. Their combined record is 13–7. They were NIT champions in 2000.
1983First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals		Murray State
Vanderbilt
South Carolina
Fresno State		W 87–70
W 75–68
W 78–61
L 62–86
1985First RoundSouth FloridaL 66–77
1998First Round
Second Round		UNC Wilmington
Vanderbilt		W 56–52
L 72–68
1999First Round
Second Round		Alabama
Xavier		W 73–57
L 87–76
2000First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Final		Vanderbilt
New Mexico
California
NC State
Notre Dame		W 83–68
W 72–65
W 76–59
W 62–59
W 71–61
2006First RoundMinnesotaL 58–73
2022First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals		Towson
VCU
Texas A&M		W 74–64
W 80–74
L 52–67
2024First Round
Second Round		Appalachian State
Georgia		W 87–76
L 66–72

Awards and honors

Coaches honored

Head coaches that have been honored with their names hanging on the Coliseum rafters:
Skip Prosser2001–20072018
Dave Odom1989–20012020

Awards

National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame:
John R. Wooden Award:
Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award:
McDonald's All-Americans
ACC Coach of the Year:
ACC Player of the Year:
ACC Rookie of the Year:
ACC Most Improved Player of the Year

All-Americans

YearPlayer
1954Dickie Hemric
1955Dickie Hemric
1957Jackie Murdock
1961Len Chappell
1962Len Chappell
1971Charlie Davis
1977Skip Brown, Rod Griffin
1978Rod Griffin
1981Frank Johnson
1993Rodney Rogers
1995Randolph Childress, Tim Duncan
1996Tim Duncan
1997Tim Duncan
2003Josh Howard
2005Chris Paul
2009Jeff Teague
2010Al-Farouq Aminu

All-ACC players

  • The players are all first team All-ACC, unless otherwise noted
YearPlayer
1954Dickie Hemric, Lowell Davis*
1955Dickie Hemric, Lowell Davis*
1956Lowell Davis, Jackie Murdock*
1957Jackie Murdock, Jack Williams, Ernie Wiggins*
1958Dave Budd*
1960Len Chappell, Dave Budd*, Billy Packer*
1961Len Chappell, Billy Packer
1962Len Chappell, Dave Wiedeman*,
1963Dave Wiedeman
1964Frank Christie, Butch Hassell*, Ronny Watts*
1965Bob Leonard, Ronny Watts*
1966Bob Leonard, Paul Long*
1967Paul Long
1969Charlie Davis
1970Charlie Davis
1971Charlie Davis
1973Tony Byers*
1974Tony Byers*
1975Skip Brown
1976Skip Brown*, Rod Griffin*
1977Skip Brown, Rod Griffin
1978Rod Griffin, Frank Johnson*
1979Frank Johnson*
1981Frank Johnson
1982Jim Johnstone*
1984Kenny Green*, Anthony Teachey*
1985Kenny Green*
1987Tyrone Bogues
1988Sam Ivy*
1991Rodney Rogers*
1992Rodney Rogers
1993Rodney Rogers, Randolph Childress*
1994Randolph Childress, Trelonnie Owens**
1995Randolph Childress, Tim Duncan
1996Tim Duncan
1997Tim Duncan, Tony Rutland**
1999Robert O'Kelley*
2000Darius Songaila**
2001Josh Howard*
2002Darius Songaila*, Josh Howard**
2003Josh Howard, Vytas Danelius*
2004Justin Gray, Chris Paul**
2005Chris Paul, Justin Gray*, Eric Williams*
2006Justin Gray*, Eric Williams**
2007Kyle Visser**
2008James Johnson**
2009Jeff Teague*, James Johnson**
2010Al-Farouq Aminu*, Ishmael Smith*
2012C. J. Harris**
2013C. J. Harris**
2017John Collins
2022Alondes Williams, Jake LaRavia*
2023Tyree Appleby
2024Hunter Sallis
2025Hunter Sallis

  • Denotes 2nd Team All-ACC
  • Denotes 3rd Team All-ACC

Notable players

Demon Deacons in the Olympics

Darius Songalia2000SydneyForward
Tim Duncan2004AthensForward
Chris Paul2008BeijingGuard
Chris Paul2012LondonGuard
Al-Farouq Aminu2012LondonForward

Current NBA Players

Current NBA G League Players

Current Non-NBA professional players

And also Jeff Teague