Wake Forest Athletics
Wake Forest Men’s Basketball to Host Free Open Practice Inside LJVM Coliseum, Wednesday Aug. 5
7/27/2026 5:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Come get a first look at the 2026-27 Demon Deacons on Aug. 5!
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – As Wake Forest men's basketball nears the conclusion of summer workouts, fans will have an opportunity to watch the 2026-27 Demon Deacons in an open practice set for Wednesday, Aug. 5 at LJVM Coliseum.
Doors will open at 4:15 p.m., with the team practice scheduled for a 5 p.m. start time. Following the conclusion of practice, the team will be made available for autographs.
Fans are encouraged to enter through the West Lobby doors next to the box office on the south side of the LJVM, as free parking will be available in the Pepsi Lot. Additionally, a concession stand will be open at Section 102 along the upper concourse level.
Fans will also have an opportunity to see available season ticket options and visit with ticket sales staff throughout the event.
The New Look Deacs
The Demon Deacons enter the 2026-27 season with a reloaded roster, which includes MAAC Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year Kevair Kennedy, versatile Kansas addition Jamari McDowell and sharpshooter Justin Ray along with size in Ring Nyeri, Antonio Dorn and Xander Pintelon. Wake Forest also welcomes talented freshmen twins Gallagher and Gavin Placide.
Behind the passion of Deacon Nation and the tutelage of head coach Steve Forbes, Wake Forest men's basketball has built one of college basketball's premier home court advantages over the last five seasons, as the Demon Deacons have collected a 74-17 at LJVM Coliseum since 2021—tied nationally for the seven-most home wins over that period.
Catch All Of The Home Action At LJVM Coliseum
As Wake Forest Athletics continues to strive to provide a World Class Student-Athlete Experience, the Best Fan Experience in North Carolina and bringing value to Wake Forest, Winston-Salem and the Triad Communities, 2026-27 men's basketball season tickets are on sale now!
Season ticket packages start at just $149 (plus applicable fees) and provide the best per-game value while guaranteeing access to every home game at the LJVM Coliseum during the 2026–27 season. Fans can purchase tickets online here or contact the Wake Forest ticket office at (336) 758-3322 from Monday-Friday at 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. to secure your seats.
Non-Conference Slate
The Wake Forest men's basketball program has unveiled a competitive non-conference slate for the 2026-27 season, as the Demon Deacons will host eight non-conference opponents inside LJVM Coliseum starting with the season opener against Maryland Eastern Shore on Monday, Nov. 2.
The Deacs' home non-conference opponents also include Charleston Southern (Nov. 10), Southern Utah (Nov. 14), Monmouth (Nov. 17), Western Carolina (Nov. 21), Hampton (Dec. 8), Gardner-Webb (Dec. 15) and Presbyterian (Dec. 22).
Away from Winston-Salem, Wake Forest will travel to Vanderbilt on Nov. 5 before visiting LSU on Dec. 1 as part of the ACC-SEC Challenge. The Deacs will also compete in the prestigious Battle 4 Atlantis in Paradise Island, Bahamas, with games scheduled for Nov. 25 and Nov. 27.
Wake Forest will also face UMass on Dec. 6 in Springfield, Mass., and face West Virginia in a neutral site showdown on Dec. 19 in Greensboro, N.C.
Between Vanderbilt, LSU and West Virginia, Wake Forest's confirmed Power Four non-conference opponents went a combined 63-40 during the 2026-27 season.
The full non-conference schedule can be found here.
Doors will open at 4:15 p.m., with the team practice scheduled for a 5 p.m. start time. Following the conclusion of practice, the team will be made available for autographs.
Fans are encouraged to enter through the West Lobby doors next to the box office on the south side of the LJVM, as free parking will be available in the Pepsi Lot. Additionally, a concession stand will be open at Section 102 along the upper concourse level.
Fans will also have an opportunity to see available season ticket options and visit with ticket sales staff throughout the event.
The New Look Deacs
The Demon Deacons enter the 2026-27 season with a reloaded roster, which includes MAAC Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year Kevair Kennedy, versatile Kansas addition Jamari McDowell and sharpshooter Justin Ray along with size in Ring Nyeri, Antonio Dorn and Xander Pintelon. Wake Forest also welcomes talented freshmen twins Gallagher and Gavin Placide.
- Kevair Kennedy
- First player in MAAC history to earn Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year in the same season after averaging 18.4 points and 4.2 assists per game at Merrimack.
- Scored 20-plus points in 16 games during his freshman campaign, including a season-high 32-point performance against Siena.
- Two-time MAAC Player of the Week, seven-time MAAC Rookie of the Week and NABC All-North Atlantic District First Team selection.
- Jamari McDowell
- Transfers from Kansas after appearing in 66 games for the Jayhawks over three seasons.
- Athletic, versatile guard capable of playing all three perimeter positions with a reputation for defense and leadership.
- Earned Academic All-Big 12 Rookie Team honors and helped Kansas knock off No. 1 Arizona last season.
- Justin Ray
- Arrives from Monmouth after averaging 11.3 points per game and knocking down a team-best 66 three-pointers.
- Scored 20-plus points four times in 2025-26, including a 25-point performance at Syracuse.
- Owns a career 40.8 percent mark from three-point range while scoring 492 collegiate points through two seasons.
- Ring Nyeri
- Transfers from Northern Colorado after averaging 8.5 points and a team-best 6.3 rebounds per game.
- Efficient scorer who shot 53.6 percent from the floor while adding 28 blocks and shooting 35.3 percent from three.
- CSC Academic All-District selection with experience at both Northern Colorado and Kansas City.
- Antonio Dorn
- Seven-foot center who transfers from Virginia Tech after appearing in 24 games as a freshman.
- Shot 64.3 percent from the field and recorded eight points, seven rebounds and two blocks in the ACC Tournament.
- Previously competed professionally in Germany's second division and represented Germany at the 2023 FIBA U20 European Championship.
- Xander Pinetelon
- Belgian forward who started 25 games at FAU, averaging 6.2 points while shooting 35.2 percent from three.
- Former Belgian National Team member who helped his country reach the 2023 FIBA U20 European Championship semifinals.
- Stretch forward with international experience and an 85.4 percent free-throw percentage last season.
- Gavin Placide
- Consensus top-50 recruit and top-10 prospect in Texas, helping lead Wake Forest's highest-ranked recruiting class in over a decade.
- Four-star, 6-foot-11 forward known for his versatility, rebounding and ability to score inside and out.
- Played at Faith Family Academy (Texas) after helping Sunrise Christian Academy to a 17-win season.
- Gallagher Placide
- Four-star, top-100 recruit who joins twin brother Gavin in Wake Forest's nationally ranked recruiting class.
- Versatile 6-foot-10 wing recognized for his defensive versatility and ability to guard multiple positions.
- Ranked among the top-10 prospects in Texas while starring at Faith Family Academy.
- Lukas Bojovic
- The 6-foot-6 18-year-old joins the Demon Deacons after two seasons with Serbian powerhouse Partizan Belgrade, where he established himself as one of the premier players in the Serbian Junior League.
- Bojovic is coming off a sensational 2025-26 campaign in Serbia, averaging 22.2 points, 5.6 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 2.4 steals per game for Partizan Belgrade's U19 squad while shooting 54.7 percent from the field. He ranked among the league leaders in scoring, assists and steals while earning Serbian Junior League Player of the Week honors three times.
- His outstanding season culminated in sweeping the Eurobasket.com All-Serbian Junior League awards, earning Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Forward of the Year, Bosman Player of the Year, First Team All-League and All-Defensive Team honors.
- He will arrive following the conclusion of summer workouts.
Behind the passion of Deacon Nation and the tutelage of head coach Steve Forbes, Wake Forest men's basketball has built one of college basketball's premier home court advantages over the last five seasons, as the Demon Deacons have collected a 74-17 at LJVM Coliseum since 2021—tied nationally for the seven-most home wins over that period.
| Rank | Program | Total Home Wins Since 2021-22 |
| 1. | Houston | 80 |
| 2. | Saint Mary's | 79 |
| 3. | Duke | 78 |
| T4. | Arizona | 76 |
| T4. | Iowa State | 76 |
| 6. | Kentucky | 75 |
| T7. | Wake Forest | 74 |
| T7. | Arkansas | 74 |
| T7. | Grand Canyon | 74 |
| T7. | Tennessee | 74 |
| T7. | UConn | 74 |
As Wake Forest Athletics continues to strive to provide a World Class Student-Athlete Experience, the Best Fan Experience in North Carolina and bringing value to Wake Forest, Winston-Salem and the Triad Communities, 2026-27 men's basketball season tickets are on sale now!
Season ticket packages start at just $149 (plus applicable fees) and provide the best per-game value while guaranteeing access to every home game at the LJVM Coliseum during the 2026–27 season. Fans can purchase tickets online here or contact the Wake Forest ticket office at (336) 758-3322 from Monday-Friday at 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. to secure your seats.
Non-Conference Slate
The Wake Forest men's basketball program has unveiled a competitive non-conference slate for the 2026-27 season, as the Demon Deacons will host eight non-conference opponents inside LJVM Coliseum starting with the season opener against Maryland Eastern Shore on Monday, Nov. 2.
The Deacs' home non-conference opponents also include Charleston Southern (Nov. 10), Southern Utah (Nov. 14), Monmouth (Nov. 17), Western Carolina (Nov. 21), Hampton (Dec. 8), Gardner-Webb (Dec. 15) and Presbyterian (Dec. 22).
Away from Winston-Salem, Wake Forest will travel to Vanderbilt on Nov. 5 before visiting LSU on Dec. 1 as part of the ACC-SEC Challenge. The Deacs will also compete in the prestigious Battle 4 Atlantis in Paradise Island, Bahamas, with games scheduled for Nov. 25 and Nov. 27.
Wake Forest will also face UMass on Dec. 6 in Springfield, Mass., and face West Virginia in a neutral site showdown on Dec. 19 in Greensboro, N.C.
Between Vanderbilt, LSU and West Virginia, Wake Forest's confirmed Power Four non-conference opponents went a combined 63-40 during the 2026-27 season.
The full non-conference schedule can be found here.
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