Roster Reset: Where Things Stand
By Josh Burton
It has been a very busy last few days for the University of Virginia Men’s Basketball program. With head coach Ryan Odom officially introduced, attention now turns to the roster. Some players have already entered the portal, while the new staff has already been in contact with a few potential new transfers. Let’s take a look at how things are shaping up.
Portal Announcements
Not a surprise, but it’s been a busy time with multiple players entering the transfer portal. Blake Buchanan was the first to announce, over the weekend. He’s expected to look for an option out west back to closer to home. Dai Dai Ames entered not long after, he figures to have multiple options for his next stop.
Then on Monday as the portal officially opened multiple Hoos hit the open market as well. Isaac McKneely was the first to enter, doing so with a do not contact tag. Isaac hasn’t ruled out returning to Charlottesville for his final season, but UNC and Kentucky are viewed as in the mix as well. Andrew Rohde also entered early Monday, there have been rumblings of potentially heading to Iowa State but he should have plenty of options.
Following Coach Odom’s introductory press conference, two more Hoos entered the portal, bringing the current total to six. TJ Power announced first, a market for his services has not been made clear to this point. Anthony Robinson also entered, but there is still potential for him to return much like McKneely.
What’s Left
With six players currently in the portal, UVA only has five left on the current roster. There most likely will be more to enter before it’s over. It goes with the territory of a coaching change in today’s environment. The portal officially opened today. Players have until April 22nd to enter their names.
The five remaining players are junior forward Elijah Saunders and four freshmen–guards Ishan Sharma, Elijah Gertrude, and Christian Bliss along with forward Jacob Cofie..
It’s also important to remember that entering the portal doesn’t mean players are leaving for certain, only that they’re fair game to be recruited by other programs.
Players Following Coach
As usually happens with these types of moves, there will be potential players who want to follow their former coach to his next stop. A pair of VCU freshmen have already entered the portal and could be serious options for adding to the UVA squad.
6 '10 " Luke Bamgboye was a defensive anchor for the Rams, averaging over two blocks per game and having worked into a starting spot for the Atlantic 10 champions. There will certainly be competition for his services, but expect Odom and the Hoos to have a good chance if they pursue.
6’4” guard Brandon Jennings is another prime candidate from VCU to follow his former coach. Jennings is known as a very good defender who understands where to be on the court and hasn’t even begun to scratch the surface of his potential. He’s a good bet to follow Odom should the opportunity be presented.
This is also a unique situation as Odom was only at VCU for two seasons, having served as head coach at Utah State before that. Because of this, don’t be surprised if there are also potential options popping up from his days out west due to the familiarity there.
Reaching Out
Coach Odom and his new staff are looking to hit the ground running, having already reached out to a few different potential targets. Purdue Fort Wayne guard Jalen Jackson was the first name mentioned with Virginia this portal season. The 6’2” Junior guard averaged over 19 points per game this season.
Valparaiso forward Cooper Schwieger was another player already reached out to. He averaged close to 16 points and 8 rebounds on the season.
It’s important to remember with these reach outs that it’s very early in the process. They’ll cast a wide net to gauge interest and get an idea of who to really focus on and recruit as the process draws out. There will certainly be more players the staff reaches out to in the next few days, as well as some more portal entries.
Today is just the beginning of the process that's become the norm each spring, only amplified during a coaching change. Soon, attention will shift toward adding players. We'll still be at this a month or more from now. Transfer recruiting hits full stride around mid-April.
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(Featured Image Credit: Josie Drumheller/UVA Athletics)