Virginia Basketball: Impact of De’Andre Hunter’s departure to NBA Draft

De’Andre Hunter, as expected, announced his intentions to enter the 2019 NBA Draft on Monday. How can Virginia Basketball replace him?

One week after leading the Virginia Cavaliers to their first-ever national championship, two of UVa’s top three stars announced their intentions to enter the 2019 NBA Draft. First, it was guard Ty Jerome and then a few hours later All-American De’Andre Hunter announced he was departing Charlottesville after three years on The Grounds. Hunter redshirted his freshman season and had two years of eligibility remaining.

While the loss of Hunter and Jerome would appear devastating on the surface, the Wahoos could be just fine if other players ascend into larger roles. Hunter, a second-team All-American and national defensive player of the year, showed proved to everyone why he is a future lottery pick in the national championship game.

If Kyle Guy and Mamadi Diakite both return, UVa will be in a good position. Diakite’s emergence in the postseason is one of the major stories no one is talking about. While repeating as national champion will be tough minus the two outgoing stars, remember, Duke and North Carolina, are losing even more production than Virginia.

In addition to Hunter and Jerome, the only other significant loss for the Hoos is center Jack Salt. Salt was a strong defender and excellent leader, however, younger players should easily slot into Salt’s role. One player who could pick up some of Hunter’s scoring is rising junior Jay Huff. The 7-footer came to Charlottesville in the same class as Guy, Jerome, and Hunter. He has improved dramatically over the last two years and is poised for a breakout campaign in 2019-20. Huff must prove to head coach Tony Bennett he will not be a defensive liability.

Braxton Key will have another year in the offense. Key was a terrific defender in his first season for Virginia and had some strong offensive performances, including a big game against Florida State. Key is a different player than Hunter but offers some similar traits. He must become a more consistent outside shooter. He will likely take Hunter’s spot in the starting lineup.

Another player to watch is junior Marco Anthony. In his two years on campus, Anthony has played a total of 35 games. But for a team that has a strong player development program, Anthony could be in line for a major role increase next season. At 6’4″, 212 pounds, Anthony possesses good size and can defend multiple positions. He is a player Virginia fans should be excited about.

While it’s always difficult to lose a player like Hunter, Virginia is one of the few schools in all of college basketball equipped enough to handle such a loss. Bennett prizes experience and versatility and this team will still have plenty of both next season.