Gotcha so this could play out for a while. Imagine that late date also gives guys time to do some NBA recon. At least Virginia won’t have to deal with that distraction this yr.
I would think bringing a Nigel Johnson type to back up Reese who was formerly an effective starter at a smaller school would be a tough sell since there is no reason to believe that Reese is going to play less than 35 minutes a game.
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I think it depends on the kids mindset if he wants to go power 5 and contribute he Virginia is an option. If he wants to go power 5 and be the guy Charlottesville probably not for him.
Or if he wants help getting admission to UVA grad school…
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Great point
Maybe it’s just me, but, unlike last year, I don’t see Virginia using the portal much unless there is some unanticipated attrition. Essentially, I believe all the necessary components will be in place. First, there is no logical reason why another wing would be pursued. With Franklin, Murray, Milicici, and McCorkle returning, and McKneely, Dunn, and Bond joining the program, I suspect the staff has more than enough with which to work. It seems to me that the development, or continued development, of these players offers more potential than any transfer might. Secondly, similar things can be said about the front court. If Caffaro and Shedrick improve as much for next year as they did from last year, they should be a shade better than adequate. If Gardner returns, I think we can all expect some improvement. I imagine that Traudt will arrive with all sorts of potential. I think a transfer would just crowd things up a bit, and, as we have seen in the past, it really does take front court players a bit longer to grasp the defense. So, that leaves the point guard position. I question whether Virginia would be all that attractive to a point guard in the portal who can actually help the team. Beekman is going to get the overwhelming majority of the minutes. It seems as likely that an existing member of the tema (Poindexter? Coleman? McKneely?) could initiate the offense as effectively as any transfer the staff might hope to sign. In fact, when Virginia is at its best, all the perimeter players have been able to initiate the offense. The only issue there is bringing the ball up court against the press, and it has always been my opinion that the best way to beat a press is with the pass, not the dribble. Good coaching remedies that issue. It seems to me that the portal offers nothing for UVa this year that high school recruitment cannot provide, and I believe a prep recruit would have a higher ceiling. Of course, that’s just me.
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You can’t bank on unproven/non-actualized “talent”. We need fall back options and more proven d1 shooters so that you increase the likelihood of one of them actually panning out. We can’t take the gamble of going 4 seasons in a row with poor shooting at the guard spot in an age where teams are putting out bigs with better 3pt shooting. All 13 scholarships need to be in play even if for a project redshirt, in the day and age of the transfer portal arms race. The transfer portal give us an opportunity to get the high level talent we can’t get out of HS/late bloomers not picked up in HS (Gill, Murphy, Braxton, Hauser, Nichols for one game). And this roster is need of an immediate impact talent infusion; the 2022 class is a really really good foundation for the future but we also need more immediate impact players. Earned not given goes both ways; if there is interest from a talented transfer we bring them in and tell those who may have played heavy minutes last season “earned not given goes both ways. Earn that starting spot”.
We have 40 minutes at the 3, not the most established shooter at the 2 for someone to compete with, and possibly the opportunity for a springy big to come here and redshirt or back up kadin in a few minutes (you have to be able to protect the rim or shoot the 3 or both at the 5 spot in this day and age).
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We need a springy athletic 6’9 guy. Ive noticed in several games we end up with defensive mismatches. Would help a lot if he can shoot
The dream, outside a nigel johnson guard, would be any of the following becoming available
-Caleb Houstan
-Kaleb Glenn
-Patrick Baldwin Jr
-Julian Phillips
-Trey Kaufman
-DaRon Holmes
-Jeremy Sochan (if Drew does leave Baylor if the rumors of Georgia offering $7 million with their SEC money is true)
If there is any grad transfer/Covid transfer in the country that can shoot, and they want to come play for us, I hope we can find a way to take that player lol
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Any idea on Glen or what he is going to do?
I keep seeing people saying a “Nigel Johnson” type guard would be a dream transfer. Really? Look, I loved Nigel. He played hard, he was a good teammate. We went to a holiday tournament at Barclays and he came up into the stands between games to hang out with my son. (His mom did, too.)
But he had a very, very modest impact on the team. He averaged 5 points a game, and shot 32% from behind the arc. He was a nice backup point guard who could give you 10 minutes game so Ty or Kyle could rest. But I would hope that there would be someone we already have who is capable of doing that. All you guys who were complaining that McCorkle didn’t play, wouldn’t you rather see him get those minutes? Or Taine? Or McKneeley?
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Nigel Johnson bought into his role to help us win an ACC title. We need a high level back up ball handler who is willing to buy into that smaller role.
Also I wasn’t complainign about McCorkle not playing. I was on the “Taine not playing” complaining train. And none of the are pure 1s.
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Malachi is better than Nigel
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I’d rather have more options so that we don’t ride a 7.5 man rotation all year in which 6 of them couldn’t (or wouldn’t? in Malachi’s case) shoot. Once we have some guys establish themselves we can talk about limiting bodies moving forward. But the worst of all possibilities is another year like this where the plan A guys don’t work and there is no plan B guy Tony remotely trusts.
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^^^^^^^THIS
Edit - this was for Fresh on Malachi
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He sure looks like he could be. But he has to be willing to shoot. Until then I’m going with the guy who scored double figures over a full Big Ten season.
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I thought coming into this season Malachi is a Top 3 shooter on this years team. Shooters have to be comfortable shooting the rock the way they shoot it. This have nothing to do with their personal mechanics of the shot. It has everything to do with where, when and how. How in Malachi’s case believe it or not that mean anywhere after half court. Yeah Ik I’m gonna catch hell for posting this but it’s the truth.
When: in certain cases, juncture of the game, timing and the score.
How: in Malachi’s defense that mean off the bounce or shooting the ball with energy. His midrange shot is butter. 5/8 62.5% yes Ik only a total of 16 shots in 17 games played I believe. He was closer this year in getting significant playing time than most of you know.
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Unless we have bigger defection than I’m anticipating (always possible), I’m a bit portal ambivalent this off-season.
If we get London J, I’d avoid a PG transfer. Even if we don’t, a Nigel Johnson doesn’t interest me that much. That’s about the level of contribution we can expect. Is that contribution worth the downside? (another mouth to feed, fewer minutes for ‘22 guards).
Assuming Jayden returns, and no other super senior returns, and no defections, then we have Reece, Armaan, Jayden, Kadin, Papi, Malachi, Igor, Taine, Carson, Isaac M, Isaac T, Leon, and Ryan. That’s 13 guys chasing what? 8 rotation spots?
And it’s 7 top 100 guys, but 5 who haven’t really played (frosh + Taine).
I’d prefer that we let that all shake out, and use the portal strategically the following summer to pick up what we are missing (and we will know what we are missing after next year).
I mean, if we stink next year because of growing pains? I’m fine with that. If we stink next year because our top 100 talent isn’t as good as we hoped? Well, the portal is more of a band aid on a gaping chest wound.
If we lose guys to transfer … then let’s see how it shakes out. If it’s just one guy, and someone who hasn’t been in the rotation? Probably stay put? Multiple? Then maybe we go to the portal. If we lose Jayden? Then I can see trying to get some post experience.
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I am curious how you imagine that any but a few of these actually are proven D1 talents, or are even remote possibilities. When you say “dream”, I assume you mean pipe dream.
First, it’s worth remembering than Bennett typically takes transfers when the player was originally recruited by Virginia. To the best of my knowledge, Jeremy Sochan, Julian Phillips, and Kaleb Glenn never had offers from Coach Bennett. Also, Phillips chose LSU, which suggest to me that he probably isn’t ever likely to be interested in what Virginia offers, and Kaleb Glenn is still a junior in high school. I am unsure how he qualifies as a proven D1 talent. If he decommits from Louisville, it might be interesting to see how his recruitment unfolds, but he is still just “potential” as are McKneely, Traudt, Bond, and Dunn. While the staff did extend offers to Houstan and Baldwin, I am skeptical that their recruitments were ever serious. If they decide to transfer, I imagine other destinations will be considered before UVa. Holmes also had an offer, but, if I remember things correctly, the staff cooled on him and didn’t pursue his commitment. I could be wrong about that, though. Just because he played well for Dayton is no reason to believe their attitude has changed. For all we know, the issue may have been an off-court one. Finally, while I really wanted a commitment from Trey Kaufman, he is redshirting at Purdue this year. I haven’t seen an indication that he might transfer, and he certainly isn’t a proven D1 talent.
Unless there is some premaure attrition this spring, I would hope the staff’s attention is focused on the class of 2023. I think that is where their attention should be. As for the 2022/23 basketball season, I think we ought to just “dance with the one what brung us”! 