Virginia Basketball: 2017-18 preview for the Cavaliers

Starters

SO Ty Jerome

The likely replacement for Perrantes at the point position had five starts last season and shot 40% from deep. He only averaged 4.3 ppg, but three of his five double-digit games came at the very end of the season.

SO Kyle Guy

The former McDonald’s All-American was the centerpiece of the 2016 class. Known more so for having a man bun last season, Guy played just under 20 minutes a night. He shot 50% from the perimeter and had 23 against Pittsburgh in the ACC quarterfinals, but also had five occasions of zero points scored in a game. If he is going to become that scorer the Cavaliers need, the consistency needs to be better.

SR Devon Hall

The 6’5 wing is now the leading returning scorer at 8.4 ppg. He started every game last season and was top ten in the ACC in defensive rating.

SR Isaiah Wilkins

If there was any fear of a regression on defense, the return of the top player in the ACC according to defensive ratings should quell them. He also was tops in Plus/Minus, which means that good things happened as long as he was on the court. This is probably due to his 6 boards a game and finishing in the top ten in blocks. The 6’8 forward will have to provide some more offense, but his impact on defense alone makes him a great asset.

JR Jack Salt

In a span of one year, Salt’s minutes tripled from 6 to 18 per game. He was the main starter at the center position but didn’t have the biggest impact. If that continues there’s another big man coming for his spot.