Transfer Guard Jalen Warley Commits To Virginia
After a long wait, Tony Bennett has his first transfer addition of the spring. Florida State transfer guard Jalen Warley announced his commitment to Virginia on Saturday, shortly after an official visit. The 6’7” junior from Philadelphia was a starter for the Seminoles, averaging 7.5 points and 2.8 assists this past season. He’ll have one year left to play.
NEWS: Florida State transfer guard Jalen Warley has committed to Virginia, he tells @On3sports.
— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) May 4, 2024
The 6-7 junior averaged 7.5 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game this season. Former top-50 recruit. https://t.co/JqrLNfgfuB pic.twitter.com/eJCrQNno3U
Jalen Warley’s Recruitment
Bennett recruited Jalen Warley really hard out of Westtown School (PA) in the class of 2021. Virginia was most likely the runner up in his original recruitment. It all happened during covid times when in-person activity was shut down. The lasting memory was Warley posing in a UVA shirt on Instagram shortly before announcing his commitment to FSU. Now years later, he really is a Wahoo.
Warley was a prized recruit in high school. He finished ranked as the 43rd player in his class, according to the 247Sports composite. Choosing Florida State from a long list of scholarship offers.
After three seasons at FSU, he entered the transfer portal this spring. His transfer recruitment was handled very quietly. His only official visit was to Virginia this week. It worked out neatly. Rumors of his commitment started to spread immediately, leading up to Saturday’s announcement.
What Jalen Warley Brings to Virginia
Virginia was intent on adding a veteran guard to their young team. Warley certainly checks that box. Not only an experienced player, but three years under his belt in the ACC. He brings athleticism and a lot of versatility. Expect Bennett to use him in a variety of ways. He can play on or off the ball and is capable of defending four positions.
Warley started 58 games for the Seminoles over three years, including 32 this year. He averaged a career-best 7.5 points during his junior campaign. The glaring weakness is his outside shot. He’s a career 29% three-point shooter, and only attempted seven this past season.
Tony Bennett loves big versatile guards. And after losing Reece Beekman and Ryan Dunn, he wanted someone who could take on tough defensive assignments. Because of his size, Warley can be called on to defend anything from a point guard to some power forwards. He also brings an ability to get in the lane and make plays offensively to a UVA team that didn’t get nearly enough of that last season.
Warley should play an important role for the Wahoos next season. Because he can run the point, he’ll be interchangeable at all three guard spots. And with his size, they may even use him as a small-ball power forward occasionally. He’ll be a valuable utility player.
Virginia’s Recruiting Going Forward
With the addition of Jalen Warley, Virginia is back up to 10 scholarship players for the 2024-25 season, leaving three open spots. They plan on filling them all.
The next piece of news we’re waiting for is from 2024 Harvard Westlake (CA) point guard Trent Perry. He’s expected to announce a decision at any moment, between Virginia and UCLA. Odds are heavily on the side of the Wahoos.
Virginia needs help at forward now. That’s where the main focus turns. They’re in pursuit of several players, likely for two spots.
Campbell transfer Anthony Dell’Orso visited earlier this week. UVA has a good chance with him. TCU, VA Tech, and Vanderbilt are also in the running. And San Diego State transfer forward Elijah Saunders is scheduled to arrive for his visit on Sunday. He’s currently visiting Washington, then is scheduled to see Clemson early next week.
UVA is also in the mix for Duke transfer forward TJ Power. A verdict from him is expected next week with Wake Forest and Boston College among the other contenders. And I’ve heard there are several other visits lined up for the coming days, if the spots aren’t filled.
The Wrap
Warley is a nice piece. He’ll provide a veteran presence. And the coaching staff is placing an emphasis this offseason on becoming more versatile. His addition goes a long way in helping that cause.
It took a while for Virginia to land this first recruit of the offseason. But now that the seal is off, there could quickly be more on the way. Stay tuned.
(Featured Image Credit: Rob Kinnan/USA Today)