Wake Forest Basketball Brings a Fresh Look to the Frontcourt
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The Wake Forest Demon Deacons have reloaded their entire roster and are ready to start building as a team for the next season. The lone returner, Isaac Carr, should provide some continuity to the guard room, but the frontcourt will be entirely new for Deac fans.
We have already broken down the new guard additions along with point guard Kevair Kennedy and center Antonio Dorn. Freshman twins Gavin and Gallagher Placide are also going to play a big role in the frontcourt. Now we will turn to three new transfers who will all look to make their mark on this new-look frontcourt.
Ring Nyeri
When people talk about players coming in with a lot of upside, Ring Nyeri fits that mold. The potential is clear with his 6'8 frame and long wingspan. Nyeri is someone who should be capable of adding offensively and defensively.
He spent his freshman season at the University of Kansas City before playing at Northern Colorado this past season. His numbers won't immediately jump off the page, averaging 8.5 points per game along with 6.3 rebounds, but when you dig deeper, you can see the potential.
Nyeri shot 53.6% from the floor last season, showing his offensive efficiency. He also shot 35% from three, a tick down from his freshman season, which shows he is capable of playing on the perimeter and making defenses stretch. Ball security is also a strength, as he averaged fewer than one turnover per game. He does have a more slender frame, so 6.3 rebounds per game is pretty impressive and shows his ability to crash the boards, something the Deacs desperately missed a season ago. He is likely to slot in at the small forward position, where he can use that long frame to make plays on both sides of the ball.
Xander Pintelon
NEWS: FAU transfer, Xander Pintelon, has committed to Wake Forest, his reps at @TangramSports tell DraftExpress.
— Jon Chepkevich (@JonChep) April 28, 2026
The 6’11” Belgian forward started 25 games for the Owls after cutting his teeth in BNXT with Oostende and Spirou.
Solid front court addition for the Demon Deacons. pic.twitter.com/Oh7jBrBKX4
Pintelon is another very interesting addition to this frontcourt. He spent last season at FAU, and before this played overseas in Belgium. Coming into Winston-Salem, he should pose as a perfect contrast to the bruising and physical play of Dorn down low. His 6'11 frame gives him the option to play underneath, but it seems like he prefers to step out and play as more of a stretch big.
At FAU, he averaged 6.2 points and 3.7 rebounds in 18 minutes a game. He shot just above 40% from the field and just above 35% from three on 105 attempts. He also proved to be a reliable free-throw shooter, shooting 85% from the strike. Along with the offensive, he showcased his ability as a rim deterrent with his long frame. Some of Pintelon's best games came against Power Four competition against UCF and Boston College. This should give a sense of optimism for his game transferring to the ACC level.
Vincent Chaudhri
Chaudhri comes to Wake Forest after spending a year at George Washington. He did not see the court in his first collegiate year, but he has a lot of athletic upside with a 6-7 frame to go with it. Out of high school, he was offered by Saint John's, Georgia Tech, and Iowa, so he definitely brings potential to the table for this coaching staff to bring out.
Projected Starting Lineup
PG Kevair Kennedy
SG Jamari McDowell
SF Ring Nyeri
PF Gavin Placide
C Antonio Dorn
Bench: Isaac Carr, Justin Ray, Gallagher Placide, Xander Pintelon, Vincent Chaudhri
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Justin is a student at Wake Forest University. He is from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and aspiring finance major interested everything sports. In his freshman year, Justin completed an internship with the Wake Forest Ticketing Department where he gained some valuable insight into the sales and operations aspects of collegiate athletics. Before working with Wake Forest On SI, Justin was a contributing writer for Wake Forest’s student publication The Old Gold and Black. Currently, Justin serves as a student manager on the Wake Forest Men’s Tennis team. In his free time Justin enjoys spending time with his family and friends on the golf course and traveling.