I was on a roll…
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“Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?”
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Adding Frank Anselem to my transfer wish list. 6-10 bouncy forward. Technically a redshirt freshmen with covid year and same aau program as London Johnson. Stats dont pop out at all but when you remember Jim Boeheim only plays a 4 man rotation it makes sense. Figure he might be one of the names in the annual non-guard transfer exodus out of Syracuse this off season. Would be solid depth with 3 years left to develop (I remember even Kentucky was giving him a look out of HS for big man depth. I remember cause Anselem was someone I was hoping we would give a look at for taking a mamadi big in 2021 before he reclassed back to 2020).
Wouldn’t mind Benny Williams (doubt he would transfer to be depth as a former 5* from IMG) or even Jesse Edwards and we run a Edwards Kadin Front court if Jayden doesn’t come back. Rebounds and blocks and pick and roll for days. #mobilebouncybigs.
Edit: My Tamper list is currently
Trey Kaufman
Kaleb Glenn
Frank Anselem
DaRon Holmes (if Gardner doesn’t come back, why would he come here to bench?)
Benny Williams
Jesse Edwards (if Gardner doesn’t come back)
If we need a proven Guard/3 spot forward
Aminu Mohammed
Jordan Hall
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I really do wonder if we’ll go after a transfer this off-season. Hard to tell at this stage because we don’t know what attrition will look like but let’s say we lose Kihei and Stattmann only. In that scenario I don’t think Tony wants to rock the boat
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We need another bouncy forward. We need violent help on the rebounding front, and we need someone in the wings developing. Otherwise we will have kadin and a 2023 recruit in 2023-2024 and then expect that 2023 recruit to be our starting center in the next season.
We do have 2 bouncy forwards In Traudt and Bond but neither are likely to be in the Akil - Diakite mode …
I’m anticipating/hoping for a Traudt/Bond/Milicic frontcourt rotation in 24-25. McKneeley/Murray/Dunn wing rotation. Reece and maybe a 23 or 24 at PG. if it’s not that, then something went very wrong along the way. Or something went very right and someone blew up and declared early. Or the LJ impact.
If 22 is like 16, then the 23 and 24 classes might follow the disappointing 17 and 18 classes.
Edit: hmm I’m miscounting something here. Reece should be gone by then. OK PG TBD.
A spring transfer seems a bit unlikely given the roster numbers. With no premature attrition, Virginia will have, at minimum, eleven scholarship players next season. There are three fourth year players who are eligible to return for their bonus year of competition. And, then there is the notion that Coach Bennett would prefer a smaller roster as opposed to a full complement of 13 scholarship players. That last bit may be unconfirmed, but it has been strongly rumored. Unless someone from Virginia transfers out of the program, it seems very unlikely to me that the staff will add anyone new this spring. Among other things, it will still be a young team, and I would imagine that they would prefer to have no more than the four new players to prepare for Virginia’s schemes. I won’t be surprised if the roster number next fall is eleven. But, that’s just me.
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Not just you 
Johnson
This is almost a 100% guarantee to happen at every program every year
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The one scenario where I do really wonder if we’d actively seek a transfer is if Kihei leaves but London Johnson doesn’t commit to us and reclass. In that scenario, we’d be going into next year with only one true point guard. And while Reece could play 39 minutes a game (Tony is already pushing our PG’s minutes to extremes the past few seasons), if he got injured, we’d be in a world of hurt unless we actually think Coleman or Poindexter are going to be able to step in and play real minutes. So I wonder if we go after a Nigel Johnson type - one year grad transfer PG.
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Among other things, for no reason to which I can point, I suspect that Clark doesn’t return. (In fact, I am a bit doubtful that any of the fourth year players return.) On the other hand, I seem to recall during his recruitment that Isaac McKneely was characterized as a “combo guard” who could see action at the point of attack. He might very well be Beekman’s backup. As I have only seen bits of video of him in action, I can’t say one way or the other if this is feasible. On the other hand, prior to Malcolm Brogdon’s enrollment, I was very skeptical that he could play point guard. (For those old enough to remember, I saw Brogdon as a Bruce Dalrymple type of player.) We all know how wrong I was about that!
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McKneely is solid with the ball, but at least from what I’ve watched of Poca, he plays almost entirely off it right now. That said, I think there have been some AAU games where has successfully run the point. My personal feelings (which are worth exactly zero) on it are, in a pinch he probably could, but having him run the point his first year for any meaningful amount of time would probably be a far from ideal scenario.
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On the other hand, prior to Malcolm Brogdon’s enrollment, I was very skeptical that he could play point guard. (For those old enough to remember, I saw Brogdon as a Bruce Dalrymple type of player.) We all know how wrong I was about that! Blockquote
But you weren’t wrong for the first couple of years. Although he developed into so much more than Dalrymple ever was. Brogdon was a shaky ball handler his first two seasons. I think it’s overly optimistic to expect a non-true point guard to carry a heavy load of ball handling his frosh year.
I’d love to be wrong about this - maybe McKneely will be capable at the point. But I think we need one more (insert Ocean’s 11 clip) if Clark doesn’t come back.
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Why would it be heavy though?
Good chance Reece plays at least 32 min per game. That’s only 8 minutes a game we need to worry about.
I’m comfortable with any combination of Isaac and Isaac (Traudt plays PG a ton at his school), Poindexter, Coleman, McCorkle, Murray - plenty of ball handling in short stretches.
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Even if it’s 8 minutes every game, I personally wouldn’t be comfortable with it, but we’ll see. Also there has to be some preparation for if Reece got hurt and we need to fill 40 min a game.
(Also, small side note, but Traudt does not play a ton of PG for his high school, at least based on all the games of theirs I’ve personally watched. He sometimes brings the ball down the court, but then almost always immediately hands it off to the PG. He isn’t running/initiating their offense. For the rest of the possession he’s either in the block waiting to get fed, shooting out to the corner for a catch-and-shoot three, or taking a handoff at the top of the key to see if he can get a shot or driving lane. He’s a good passer, but he isn’t playing point)
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Yeah - I’m not saying he would be Chris Paul here. I just think he is a solid ballhandling big - probably best since Gill - solid decision maker and good hands. So we could play though him some without a guard needing to initiate offense. I’m pretty confident that any of Franklin, McKneely, Poindexter, McCorkle, Murray can run sides for short bursts and if the other team wants to suddenly pressure a ton then insert Reece. I mean it’s not like Reece is currently playing 36 minutes a game in ACC play or anything.
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Having that release man who can help with ball handling is huge. Doesnt have to initiate or whatever. Just solid for steadying things on the perimeter
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Translation: As long as Kihei isn’t playing point, Dave will be happy with anyone else on the team trying it.
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