In less than a month, the Virginia men’s basketball team will take the court at John Paul Jones Arena against UNC Greensboro for its first game of the season. As with every year, Coach Tony Bennett must replace the contributions of some key players — but this season, no one expected him to have to do this much. The transfers of guards Marial Shayok, Darius Thompson and forward Jarred Reuter last season, along with the dismissal of forward Austin Nichols, leaves Bennett with some roles he may not have thought he would have to fill at the start of last season.
Fortunately for Bennett, he has some solid young talent to work with, along with some veteran leaders. How these uncertain pieces might fit together is anyone’s guess. Below are my predictions for how the depth chart will end up as the non-conference schedule plays out.
Guards/Ball Handlers
Starter: Sophomore guard Ty Jerome
2016-17 stats: 4.3 PPG, 1.5 APG, 1.6 RPG
Bennett brought Jerome on as the successor to former star point guard London Perrantes, and with another offseason of development, he is set to take over as floor general. The New Rochelle, N.Y. native burst into the rotation by scoring in bunches in some big moments and solidified himself as a deep threat, shooting .397 beyond the arc. He will have to improve on shot selection and defense to stake his claim as the starter, but all signs point to Jerome being Virginia’s point guard of the future.
Backup: Graduate student guard Nigel Johnson
2016-17 stats (with Rutgers): 11.3 PPG, 2.0 APG, 3.3 RPG
After the slew of transfers in April, Bennett picked up Johnson to fill the guard void after his solid junior season at Rutgers, where he was second on the team in scoring. Johnson is not much of a three-point threat, but he is a great driver and above average rebounder for his 6’1” stature. Because of Bennett’s defensive mentality, Jerome’s 6’5” frame gives him the edge as a defensive tone-setter, but look for Johnson to give the Cavaliers a scoring boost and take over the point if Jerome struggles.
Wings
Starter: Senior guard Devon Hall
2016-17 stats: 8.4 PPG, 1.9 APG, 4.4 RPG
As one of Bennett’s two remaining seniors from last year’s team, Hall improved his scoring last season by almost double from 2015. He is one of the team’s best perimeter defenders and is versatile enough to guard multiple positions. With two years as a starter under his belt, Hall isn’t going anywhere.
Backup: Sophomore guard Kyle Guy
2016-17 stats: 7.5 PPG, 1.3 APG, 1.7 RPG
This may seem like a tough call, but despite Guy’s scoring ability, Hall gets the nod over him for his defense and well-roundedness. Fans will undoubtedly see a lot of Guy this season after some breakout performances last year, but he will have to be more consistent on both sides of the ball to break the starting five. Regardless, his ceiling is becoming the go-to scorer on the team, and that could warrant him a leap to a starter at some point, potentially as a sixth man giving a scoring-lift off the bench.
Starter: Sophomore forward Mamadi Diakite
2016-17 stats: 3.8 PPG, 0.2 APG, 2.6 RPG
Diakite brought massive potential to the rotation after a year of development and showed flashes of solid play throughout the season. Bennett limited his minutes considerably, but when he got going, Diakite was a shot-blocking machine and shot at a .543 clip in limited attempts. The Guinea native will continue to develop as a wing defender, and if he can improve his outside scoring, he may enjoy a breakout year.
Backup: Redshirt freshman forward De’Andre Hunter
2016-17 stats: n/a
A highly touted scorer out of high school, Hunter can be a boon to Virginia’s offense if he can find his stroke. His size gives him solid potential as a defender and scorer on the wing, and if packaged with Hall, Hall can slide to the two guard for better matchups. His defense may start off raw as with many of Bennett’s freshmen, but Hunter’s scoring prowess could earn him some big minutes early on.
Bigs
Starter: Senior forward Isaiah Wilkins
2016-17 stats: 6.8 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 1.1 APG
The best defender Bennett has, Wilkins embodies heart and hustle with beastly play on the inside. The Cavaliers sorely missed his rebounding and lockdown defense while he was ill during the 2016 postseason, but with a healthy Wilkins returning, Virginia’s defense can revert to its top form again.
Starter: Redshirt freshman forward Jay Huff
2016-17 stats: n/a
If there’s one big shake-up Virginia fans should expect, it might be Huff taking the reins as starting center. Huff gives Bennett his first seven-foot stud since Mike Tobey, but Huff offers upside as an outside scoring threat. Like Hunter, his defense remains to be seen, but after a year of pack-line development, don’t be surprised if Huff breaks out early and nabs a spot in the roll call.
Backup: Junior center Jack Salt
2016-17 stats: 3.7 PPG,4.1 RPG, 0.4 APG
Salt improved immensely as a defender last year, shutting down some of the ACC’s best big men when the team needed him most. However, his main offensive contribution comes as a rebounder — he struggles as a scorer. Salt will likely start over Huff in the early going, but if the redshirt freshman finds his scoring stroke early, Salt may find his role changed to defensive specialist.
Bennett will have many pieces shifting around as he tries to build a contending lineup. With all the potential he has to work with, we may not see the dust settle on a pecking order until ACC play comes around.
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