Might as well go ahead and start it now with the Seth Towns list out. This thread is for all the talk of transfers, decommits, and whoever else might be out there as possible additions for next season. Post news, speculate, whatever.
Prized Harvard grad transfer Seth Towns included UVA in his short list. He’s missed the last two seasons with injuries. As a soph, he averaged 16 points and shot 44% from 3. Sort of a combo forward at 6’6 or 7. More guard but has played a lot of small ball 4 at Harvard.
Thanks for keeping the conversation going HGN. Any word on whether Towns is healthy? Regained all movement? Two years out. That’s a long time. Second, is Efton still considering a reclass? If so,
I’d assume the ship is his until further notice.
On Towns, I don’t know anything about his health situation. You’d have to assume with how badly everyone wants him, they feel he’ll be back in form. UVA has been in contact from the start, although I don’t think he was that responsive to anyone. He’s stayed involved with the Harvard team, traveling to road games. They honored him on senior night. Kyle Getter is probably responsible for getting UVA this far. He’s an Ohio guy, lots of contacts up there. That’s the hurdle. Most of the other teams on his list have previous relationships from recruiting him to some extent out of high school. We’re starting fresh.
About a month ago, Efton’s mom told a reporter off the record that he was staying in 2021. I still wouldn’t 100% count on it though. He’s 18, would make sense to move up if he can get it done and feel comfortable with a decision in time.
I still don’t see how that works for a top 25 kid reasonably expecting playing time with Huff, Papi and Kadin on the roster next year. 4 5s on one roster and not sure any two could reasonably play together
Not specific to the bigs or any player but I sense the staff is operating as if they’ll be more than one open slot come spring.
Seth Towns would be a huge pick up! I think Hauser helps in this situation in that if needed Towns can ease into things and not play huge minutes right away. (A 2 year gap is a long time) But also If or when he’s fully ready to go, Hauser and Towns can coexist together. Man, two 6’’ 7’ versatile forwards who shoot over 40% from three. The spacing would be so much better and Kihei would have a field day with all that room to operate.
Towns has 2 years left. I think he needs a waiver for the 2nd one but the way people are talking I assume they think he’ll get it. I’m sure his hope is to show he’s healthy for a year and enter the draft though.
Correct me if I am wrong but isnt Towns this years top transfer target so far? I think last years top transfer target was Sam Houser, and then to make Towns final 6 kind of impresses me. Seems like we have been doing pretty good with transfers recently.
@HoozGotNext Is our potential interest in Towns predicated on how good of a player he is, or reflective of the fact that we’re looking for a grad transfer/guy who is eligible to contribute next year? As in, if we don’t land Towns, are we going to be chasing others just as hard, or is it more a matter of obligation considering his skill level?
Alright I’ve been digging a little into the Seth Towns situation this week. I still don’t know a lot, but here goes.
First off, this is a real thing. He’s seriously interested. That’s not always the case when transfers toss out lists. Half the time they pretty well know where they’re going beforehand. UVA coaches and players (interesting to hear that) have been talking to him a lot lately. The message is pretty simple. He could come here, sort of be the missing piece, and have a chance to achieve some special things next year. That intrigues him. I’ve heard UVA does have concerns about his knee though.
His recruitment seems to be genuinely open to all six programs he listed.
Ohio State is his hometown school. He has friends on the team. Chris Holtmann recruited him to Butler. Currently they’re overbooked on scholarships but that’ll probably be sorted out soon. Michigan was his runner up out of high school, but that was under John Beilein. Syracuse is in deep too. I think they were able to get the communication line opened earlier. Kansas flirted with him out of high school, so they have that established relationship. Of course, they also have NCAA allegations that won’t be resolved soon. Maryland is the other school on his list.
Before all this mess, I think he wanted to move things along pretty quickly. It probably won’t work that way now, but I don’t expect he’ll screw around much once he’s able to go about the process with visits.
Oh he’s expected to be full go next season and all. It’s just when it’s not our doctors or our trainers that have been overseeing his recovery, there’s uncertainty. And I’m not sure I have this right but something was said leads me to think he needs summer classes to graduate. That’s not a problem on its own, but would keep his new staff away from the recovery process longer.
So, there appears to be another elephant in the room. Given all the cancellattions we’ve seen in the last 24 hours, I imagine it’s safe to assume that the various shoe circuits will close down this spring, also. I can’t imagine that the AAU will go against the grain. So, when are coaches going to be able to evaluate prospects? I suspect every school knows those recruits who have been identified as ‘Plan A’ prospects. How hard will it be to identify the ‘Plan B’ kids? Or, is recruiting going to become really ‘hit or miss’ as things proceed?
I don’t think of it as plan B lol But yeah you’re on the money. AAU live periods give lesser known players opportunity to prove themselves. UVA has been very effective at jumping on those guys. They’re harder to find already with what the NCAA has done to July. These 2021 kids are the first to get it on both ends of the cycle. My guess is they would make up one live period if they’re canceled, not both.