The ACC officially got shorter on talent Thursday night, courtesy of the NBA draft.

Four of the league’s top forwards — Georgia Tech’s Derrick Favors (No. 3, by the New Jersey Nets), Wake Forest’s Al-Farouq Aminu (No. 8, Los Angeles Clippers), North Carolina’s Ed Davis (No. 13, Toronto Raptors) and Clemson's Trevor Booker (No. 23, traded from Minnesota to Washington)  — were all chosen in the  first round at Madison Square Garden.

In addition, 6-feet-6 Maryland guard Greivis Vasquez was chosen 28th overall by the Memphis Grizzlies -- striding out of the stands to hug commissioner David Stern.

While college basketball's top talent awaits Thursday night's NBA draft to find out who their future employer will be, it is not just the players who must prepare.

Don't forget about all of the mothers.

Anjirlic Aminu, mother of Wake Forest's Al-Farouq Aminu, has plenty to do in New York before her son's name is called. Farouq, a forward, is projected to be a top-10 pick, but that will be just one of many highlights for Anjirlic this week.

In a surprise to no one, sophomore Al-Farouq Aminu is leaving Wake Forest for the NBA.

The 6-9 forward led the Demon Deacons with 15.8 points per game and an
ACC-best 10.7 rebounds per game and is considered a high first-round pick.

NEW ORLEANS -- Wake Forest struggled Saturday night when the Demon Deacons lost leading scorer Al-Farouq Aminu for all but six minutes of the first half because of foul trouble. That opened the door for Kentucky to blow the game open on the way to a 90-60 win.

Now, the Deacons will wait to find out whether they’ll be without the sophomore for all of next season. Aminu decided to pass on the NBA and return to Wake Forest this season, but with the Deacons headed for a rebuilding year, he may heed the call of the pros this summer.

North Carolina fans have gotten an early look at two of the best freshmen in the ACC. In the loss to Boston College, the Eagles got a boost from guard Reggie Jackson. Sunday, Wake Forest got nine points, six rebounds and four assists from forward Al-Farouq Aminu.

Last season, Duke forward Kyle Singler was clearly the ACC’s freshman of the year, well ahead of Wake Forest’s James Johnson, but there will be a little more debate this season, starting with these five freshmen having an early impact — Tuesday’s Top Five: