Projecting the Virginia men's basketball team's lineup over the next few seasons

Came across this article in the DP earlier. Obviously a bit early for this (especially the 21-22 season), but thought I would share.

https://www.dailyprogress.com/cavalierinsider/projecting-the-virginia-men-s-basketball-team-s-lineup-over/article_16f7c8cb-a636-51b0-8775-c4a2dd9f489e.html

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I project Clark as starting PG at start of 20-21 season with Beekman being the starter at the PG position by end of season. Clark is very good and being best on ball defender moves to starter at a guard position to defend PG of other teams in certain lineups. Beckman is just that excellent.

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I read that article yesterday. I dont know if Beekman starts at the PG or not. I do believe he becomes a important part of the rotation and there will be times when he and Kehei are on the court together. This is a interesting subject but I’m leery of stepping on somebody’s toes and hopefully more great recruiting classes are coming in on a regular basis. We have a bright future

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These are the Captain Obvious picks. For 2020/21, Hauser, Clark, Morsell, Huff, and Abdur-Rahim are unquestionably expected to be the leaders in minutes played. Huff and Hauser will be redshirt seniors. Clark will be a true junior. Morsell will be a sophomore defensive stopper. And Abdur-Rahim is the highest-rated recruit at a position of crying need.

All of them are no-brainers.

Personally? I think the ideal 2020/21 lineup looks like this: Abdur-Rahim, Beekman, Hauser, Morsell, and (reclassified) Efton Reid in the paint.

A guy can dream, right?

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HGN reports that the likely plan would be for Efton to redshirt if he reclassifies and becomes a Hoo this year. I’m cautious about imagining any freshman under CTB becoming a starter until reports leak out during the summer/fall on how the freshmen look and who’s shown improvement from the returning players. Clark, Morsell, Hauser and Huff are a good returning core, though, along with Stattmann, Woldo, McKoy and Caffaro. Add in JAR, Shedrick, and McCorkle and you’ve got a very talented, deep pool of players battling it out for playing time.

I could see JAR taking a very similar path as Hunter did his first year of playing-- struggling during the first third of the season but being a significant contributor the final two thirds. I don’t think Beekman will be a starter next season, but he is likely to earn some decent playing time because of the lack of depth at the point and being a better match up defensively at times. McCorkle is probably going to have to be a 42+% 3 pt shooter, similar to Guy his first year, to get decent playing time. Would not be surprised to hear discussion during the fall of a possible redshirt for McCorkle either.

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To be clear, I don’t think Efton would be a planned redshirt if he reclassified. But I understand where you got that. I just meant that the guys we have gotten to reclassify have redshirted, like Diakite and Hall. There were other cases like Juzang and Kessler where they definitely would have played right away. Efton’s more in line with them.

Yeah I don’t see Efton starting though. I think people really underestimate Shedrick. I don’t know if it’ll be next year or the year after, but that dude’s gonna explode eventually. The tools are just so good, and even from last summer to his high school season his progress was unbelievable. I’m already anxious to see what he looks like after a year with the coaching staff. Agree with your take on Jabri. He’ll be useful and play a lot right away but it’ll be a huge adjustment to Bennett’s way.

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Do you see Shedrick as more of a 4 or a 5?

Both, in time. Sort of like Mamadi, has similar attributes. But remember Mamadi was only used as a 5 until last year. Took time for him to develop the discipline to defend out on the perimeter. Same deal with Shedrick, only he’s a good bit more advanced than Mamadi was on arrival.

In all of the discussion here and on Twitter I have barely heard Shedrick’s name. It almost seemed as if he were the forgotten man. I’m sure Tony hasn’t forgot him. I believe he will be a stud in a couple of years and may be gone pro before his senior year if he so chooses. It is also possible that a UVA degree would be very important to him and his family so if he develops like I believe he could stay. The main point being he is a big part of our future. I believe he could play the 4 or 5 spot but if we’re dreaming why not have our own version of the Twin Towers with him and Reid. BTW, I haven’t forgotten Caffaro and he should be an important cog in the UVA machine

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I wondered if the 2021 class could also affect where he plays. Seems like Reid is a 5, Furst more of a 4 and Holmes could play 4 also. With returnees Caffaro a 5 and McKoy a 4.

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In '21 you’d have 2 pure centers Caffaro as a junior, and a freshman like Efton or Furst. Furst is really a center in today’s game. At the 4, a Jr. McKoy and another freshman like Holmes. With soph Shedrick as the hybrid 4/5 between.

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Do you think we will pursue Harvard transfer Seth Towns? Not sure on the eligibility as a grad transfer or sit out but another 6’7” 3/4 man with shooting touch would be great to have. I’ve always thought one of the biggest Keys (pun absolutely intended) to winning the title was Braxton gaining eligibility last year. Having 2 wing combo players 6’7”+ is a major advantage in today’s game.

Towns will be eligible immediately. Not that I know anything, but would think they’d at least reach out. The problem is so will 100 other schools. He’ll most likely end up with a coach he had a previous relationship with.

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He will be a hot commodity, but I would think we’d have a decent chance if offered. Not knowing anything about the kid or the recruitment prior, I would think that a Harvard grad would be attracted to a school like uva who would have plenty of PT to sell as an actual NCAA contender. That said you’re the expert in this convo so I won’t be holding my breath.

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With the number of players coming in and the talent available, TB is going to have his hands full. As we all know you have to play defense first so that will have a big impact on how playing time is determined. I hope that he will be able to keep everyone happy and not have a mass exodus like what happened a few years ago.

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Got it. I did misunderstand your earlier posts. Thanks for the clarification.

Based on the trend in college basketball, seems inevitable that there will be more transfers out from UVA the next couple of years. The last time we lost two 20+ minute players to transfer, though, we did okay :grin:

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I’m not sure there’s a great risk of transfers out. We’ll have 12 scholarship players on the roster next year, and Bennett really only goes 8 or 9 deep, but I just don’t see any that seem likely to leave. Here’s how I’d handicap it:

Extremely low risk of departure (7):

Kihei Clark, Sam Hauser, Jay Huff aren’t going anywhere.
Abdur-Rahim, Beekman, McCorkle seem firmly committed.
Shedrick’s redshirt year means he would need to burn a year of eligibility to transfer.

Low risk (2):

Caffaro is developing nicely with clear minutes available next year.
Morsell is struggling with his shot, but playing key defensive role.

As I see it, that’s nine players who’ll be here unless they’re flunking Art class, slash someone with a box cutter, steal some headphones, or snort mountains of Colombian. None of them seem the type.

Some risk (3):

Stattmann is starting, but highly regarded players are arriving next year.
McKoy is developing well into a Gill-like role but limited minutes this year and likely next.
Woldetensae is a struggling role player facing competition next year, but he knew that coming in.

And these three all have a (limited) role to play next year unless they’re tempted to uproot their lives to be a star on a mid-major rather than ride the pine on a Final Four team.

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With regard to transfers, I’m not speculating on the degree of risk over the next couple of years and definitely not on individual players. Just that the trend nationally and at UVA under CTB has been about 1 transfer per year. So I was good-naturedly suggesting that there’s no need to be anxious about it, particularly since in almost every case it’s worked out well for the player involved and for UVA’s team.

Just my opinions: as of today, there’s no men’s basketball player in our program, including our 2 incoming freshmen and our transfer from Wisconsin, that I would call a no-brainer to start, or an obvious starter. Even Jay Huff and Clark are not, in my opinion, obvious starters. They’ve both been up and down so far this season.

There is no one in our program who will have been a 5-star recruit coming out of high school. No one will have gotten scholarship offers from Duke, Kentucky, and North Carolina, for whatever that’s worth.

If we get Efton Reid, that would be fantastic. But, who here has seen him play in a Steward uniform? If so, what did you think? I was surprised that 247sports lists him as a power forward. How can a 7-0 245 high school player be listed as a PF instead of a C?

Just by looking at him, he reminds me of Brad Daugherty, the former UNC All-American who was a good NBA player until suffering injuries. Is there a box score of a Steward game online that I could see? I don’t expect him to put up Moses Malone-type numbers :slight_smile: in high school, but, I’m just curious.

Almost all players at all levels exaggerate their height somewhat. How tall would you say Reid is in his bare feet?

Don’t get me wrong: I’d be thrilled if UVa can get him. I think he has almost unlimited potential as a college player. Also, he would be the highest-ranked recruit (#27 at this time) in our program. Wahoo-Wah!

P.S. I’m also impressed with Reid’s maturity: he’s stayed at one high school. Steward, for his entire high school career. Players who switch high schools every year (for athletic purposes) don’t seem to be taking the academic side as seriously as (I think) they should.

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