Intel Report 3/29/23: Mapping The Reload

It’s been a tumultuous week for the Virginia Basketball program. Three players entered the transfer portal. The good news is, with those decisions in the rear view, we have a fair idea of what the returning roster looks like now. The coaching staff’s full attention will turn toward recruiting, and filling the vacated gaps for next season.

Departures

Unfortunately, both of the players that I labeled as high risk last week did opt to transfer. Freshman forward Isaac Traudt and junior center Kadin Shedrick entered their names into the portal on Monday

The concern over Traudt’s transfer snuck up on me a bit. But apparently it had been there all season. It went from a worry to near certainty by early last week. All signs point to him returning to his home-state of Nebraska, most likely to attend Creighton. That might already be a done deal.

Shedrick’s decision was harder it seems. The feeling was always that he would probably leave, but it did take him a little while to come to the decision. His recruitment had already been going on through back channels. There’s a long list of interested parties. Indiana folks instantly jumped with excitement when he hit the portal, so we know something was going on there. He’s considered one of the best available big men, and should have plenty of good options.

And in a bit of a surprise, senior center Francisco Caffaro entered the portal as well. He wasn’t expected to return, but the assumption was that he would turn pro. That might still be the case. I think he’s covering all his bases. We’ll keep tabs to see what happens with the big fella.

I do believe we’re done losing transfers. There’s been no talk of anyone else. But we can’t be totally sure until the May 11th deadline passes.

Stay or Pro

As of Tuesday night, there’s been no official word from senior guard Armaan Franklin about whether he’ll take advantage of his extra year of eligibility. They’re not expecting him to return, however. Barring a total reversal, he’s planning to turn pro. From what I’ve heard, he’s just done with college ball and ready to move on.

That leaves junior point guard Reece Beekman as the lone question mark. He hasn’t made his intentions known yet either. And it might take a while for a final verdict. Expect him to enter his name into the NBA Draft in the “testing” lane to maintain his college eligibility. He’ll have until the May 31st withdrawal deadline to decide.

Right now, it’s up in the air whether Reece returns in the end. Obviously, his draft stock will be the biggest factor. His closest friends are gone. The team he’d be returning to will be quite different. It remains to be seen how much that will impact his decision. Hopefully we’ll get some clarity in the weeks ahead, as far as the likelihood if not a definite decision.

As We Stand

As things stand, UVA has eight scholarship players for next season. History tells us Bennett will not willingly go into a season with fewer than 10 active players, preferably 11. So they have some work to do just to get to bare minimal depth.

Expect UVA to add three players during this late recruiting cycle. Possibly four, but three are essential. Obviously, the biggest concern is in the frontcourt. They need two players there, and one guard.

They’re looking for shooting at the guard spot. Preferably a young player, and ideally someone that’s a dependable secondary ball handler. Up front, it’s more of a puzzle. They have a golden opportunity for the right experienced big man to slide into a clear starting job. The second frontcourt addition will probably be a younger player. The two need skillsets that complement each other. So when the first addition is made, the search for the second narrows.

Time Table

Visits will start as soon as next weekend. There’s a week-long dead period coming up that ends next Thursday (April 6) at noon. Then there’s another short dead period, reopening again on the following weekend. So, the weekends of the 7th and 14th and the entire following week are prime visit slots.

The coaching staff will start setting those visits this week. That’s probably already underway. So, hopefully we’ll get some answers in the coming days. From what I’ve heard, they expect to be very busy with visitors. New names will continue to join the portal, and it’s a safe bet they’re involved with players we don’t know about.

Guard Recruiting

The only potential late addition that I can definitively say UVA is in full pursuit of is 2023 guard Blue Cain. The Knoxville native recently decommitted from Georgia Tech following their coaching change. The UVA staff was quick to pounce. They met with him at his school, IMG Academy in Florida, last week. He’s their top guard target.

It’s not completely clear who the competition is for Blue. Georgia seems to be a contender though. I think Florida will be. There’s been a bunch of schools mentioned with him. But UVA is definitely in the running, and I think they’ll have a pretty good chance. Expect him to be one of those visitors when things reopen.

Some of the other guards I’m watching, but there just isn’t enough to judge how seriously UVA is involved. Denver Jones from Florida International. Jackson Paveletzke from Wofford. And Andrew Rohde from St. Thomas.

Frontcourt

Coach Bennett held a Zoom meeting with Merrimack grad transfer Jordan Minor last week, the Northeast Conference Co-Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year. There’s a previous relationship with people around him. They recruited his high school teammate AJ Reeves (Providence). While I can’t say for sure that he’s atop the board, they do seem serious about him. They want experience and athleticism, and he brings both.

Bennett also did a Zoom with Texas Tech transfer Robert Jennings. He only played limited minutes as a freshman, but they really liked him out of high school. If things didn’t go so easily with the 2022 class, he might already be at UVA.

Both of them were told by the staff that they would get back to them this week about setting up visits. I’m not sure they would be willing to take both, as a more skilled player would be the better pairing with either. But they both seem like legitimate possibilities. Iowa and Wake Forest are among the contenders for Minor. Maryland and SMU among others are involved with Jennings.

I’m sure there are others they’ve done the same thing with. Those are just the only two we know about. I’m paying close attention to skilled forward Johnny O’Neil from American and Jaelyn Withers from Louisville. There’s also rumors of a player or two yet to hit the portal that UVA will pursue.

True Blue Hoo

The J Willy watch was short-lived. Virginia Associate Head Coach Jason Williford was once again mentioned as a candidate for head coach openings in recent weeks. He reportedly turned down opportunities at George Mason and American.

I’ve heard he’s just really happy at UVA. He’s enjoying seeing his kids grow up in Charlottesville, and flourishing as athletes in their own right. His oldest son Austin is a budding college recruit now in the 2025 class, certainly one to keep an eye on. .You never know if the right job became available, but the word I’ve gotten is he’s just not interested in that right now. I think we’re safe in saying the J Willy Show will be back for another season.

The next few weeks should be fun on the recruiting front. Stay tuned, and thanks for subscribing to Locker Room Access.