The verdict is out on the Virginia Cavaliers men’s basketball program: utilizing the portal is a necessity this offseason. As we stand, only Leon Bond III has transferred out, which leaves Tony Bennett with three open scholarships, assuming Ryan Dunn will stay in the NBA Draft pool./cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/63376118/usa_today_12500340.0.jpg?w=678&ssl=1)
The two visitors this weekend represent the most pressing needs on the roster.
The first is a ball-dominant guard, Malik Mack. Coming by way of Harvard, Mack can provide offensive talent in the backcourt that UVA has been missing since their national championship team in 2019. Reece Beekman deserves every bit of credit he receives but he was not the same as a pure scorer. Mack, while certainly sacrificing some defense at 6’1”, could create his own offense and score on all three levels, something UVA desperately needs in a point guard.
In his freshman season in the Ivy League, Mack averaged 17.2 points per game to go along 4.8 assists and 4.0 rebounds. He was not the most efficient shooter but given the lack of go-to options on the roster, this is a guy you would be excited for Beekman to hand the keys of the offense to. He can certainly handle the competition jump. Oh, and regarding the elephant in the room, Mack is an 81.2% free throw shooter.
The other visitor is Joshua Jefferson, a versatile forward from Saint Mary’s. It is hard to see Jefferson immediately being an offensive center piece at the ACC level but he would fill in a need, left by Bond and presumably Dunn.
Jefferson averaged 10.2 points and 6.5 rebounds in his sophomore season in the WCC. They are not the same player, especially with Jefferson at 6’8”, but if you want a comparison to a Bennett-era player, think Jayden Gardner. He is a good midrange shooter with some post game and the ability to guard stretch bigs on defense. Most importantly, Jefferson could help the offensive spacing if he is placed at the four.
We will keep you updated on the status of these two players as well as any future notable official visits to Charlottesville.
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