The transfer portal in the world of college basketball has become an increasingly growing phenomenon.
With no-sit transfer rules, players can move to another college with immediate eligibility. Name, image, and likeness compensation contributes further to the roster turnover that sweeps the offseason. Both the men's and women's basketball portals will easily include more than 1,000 names across Division I this spring.
Virginia is no exception. As of Friday, both UVA programs had multiple players already enter the portal.
On the men's side, where a coaching change from Tony Bennett to interim coach Ron Sanchez to new coach Ryan Odom occurred over the past six months, 9 Cavaliers chose to put their names in the mix. Blake Buchanan, Dai Dai Ames, Isaac McKneely, Andrew Rohde, TJ Power, Anthony Robinson, Jacob Cofie, Ishan Sharma, and Christian Bliss make up that list. Jalen Warley, who never suited up in a game for the Hoos, entered the portal after Bennett's retirement before the season as well.
Those names show just how transient college rosters can be. Ames, Rohde, Power, and Warley transferred into Virginia after starting their careers elsewhere. So if they choose not to return to the Hoos, they'll be on to at least their third college program. To date, Warley is the only player with an official new landing spot as he chose Gonzaga.
McKneely, Rohde, Ames, and Buchanan started at least 22 games this season with McKneely starting in all 32. Cofie made 16 starts, while Power had 5. McKneely led the Wahoos in scoring at 14.4 points per game while shooting 42.1% from 3-point range. Rohde averaged 9.3 points with 41.3% 3-point shooting and a team-leading 129 assists. Ames averaged 8.7 points while shooting 39.7% from 3. Buchanan led the team with 5.3 rebounds per game to alongside 5.4 points per game. McKneely earned All-ACC Honorable Mention recognition.
On the women's side, where coach Amaka Agugua-Hamilton has three seasons with the Hoos but no NCAA Tournament appearances, Latasha Lattimore, Edessa Noyan, Hawa Doumbouya, Casey Valenti-Paea, and Payton Dunbar have chosen to enter as well. Lattimore, Doumbouya, and Valenti-Paea transferred into Virginia. Dunbar already made a decision of her new destination as she committed to Providence.
Lattimore started 29 games and finished second on the team this season by scoring 14.3 points per game. She led the Cavaliers at 8.2 rebounds. Noyan started 23 games with averages of 5.7 points and 4.3 rebounds. Valenti-Paea appeared in 30 games with no starts and averaged 2.1 points, while Dunbar appeared in 15 games with 1 start and averaged 1.9 points. Doumbouya did not appear in any games after she came in from Maryland.
Added together, that means 7 Cavaliers who started at least half the games this season have entered the portal. That's led to some fan frustration and plenty of conversation. Here are some threads from the message boards this week.
- If McKneely wants to play for a different coach, different teammates, different style of play he can do all these things right here at UVA.
- McNeely rumored to be visiting Louisville and UNC. Hoping he understands value of a UVA degree !
- Looks like AROB getting interest from Kansas, Stanford, Providence, New Mexico and others
- Prioritize Sharma. Dude is going to be elite.
- Scholarship players returning over/under 4
- Thoughts re: UVA players in the portal & UVA’s “significant NIL war chest"
- Ok guys….we currently have 2 roster players. Heh. What now?
- So you’re telling me we had 3 guys in the top 50 transfer market??
- Why's it so surprising that all these players hit the portal?
- Could anyone have imagined 10 years ago that sanctioned bidding wars would be taking place each year as one school tries to buy players from other schools to stock their roster?
- Lattimore in Portal
- I know that it's time for the portal but it's a sad day for me. Never Seen anything like this.
- Update on (women's basketball) portal for those interested.
Fan(s) Of The Week
UVA!
Student Fan(s) Of The Week
Thumbs up if you love the Hoos.
Feature Photo Of The Week
Isaac McKneely led Virginia in scoring this past season X.
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