Busting Brackets
Fansided

Virginia Basketball: Breaking down the 2020 recruiting class for the Cavaliers

By Lukas Harkins

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - JANUARY 28: Head coach Tony Bennett of the the Virginia Cavaliers reacts to a play in the first half during a game against the Florida State Seminoles at John Paul Jones Arena on January 28, 2020 in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo by Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - JANUARY 28: Head coach Tony Bennett of the the Virginia Cavaliers reacts to a play in the first half during a game against the Florida State Seminoles at John Paul Jones Arena on January 28, 2020 in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo by Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 4
Next
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – DECEMBER 29: Coach Bennett of UVA reacts. (Photo by Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – DECEMBER 29: Coach Bennett of UVA reacts. (Photo by Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images) /

Carson McCorkle (Greensboro, NC)

SG | 6-foot-3 | 170 lbs | No. 136 overall

Even though Carson McCorkle is the lowest-rated player in Virginia’s 2020 recruiting class, he is still very highly regarded as an excellent shooter ranked in the Top 150 nationally. He brings more than adequate size to the off-guard slot with his 6-foot-3 frame and should be a strong multi-year contributor for the Cavaliers. McCorkle was the first of this three-man class to commit and he embodies the term “fit” with the program.

Most notably, he is the type of flat-out elite shooter that Virginia needs for its offense to hit on all cylinders. The Cavaliers struggled to score efficiently during this past season due to a lack of consistent perimeter shooting and that was their downfall through the first two months of the campaign. The program will always be elite on the defensive end of the floor thanks to Coach Bennett’s philosophies and player development but perimeter scoring is a key feature of the blocker-mover offense.

McCorkle can bring exactly that to the table with a quick release and deadly accuracy.  While shooting isn’t something that always immediately translates for a freshman, McCorkle is the type of sniper that could be impactful right away. He also runs the floor particularly well and understands where to spot up in transition. Virginia’s wing seems pretty filled out by the likes of Morsell, Woldentensae, and Abdur-Rahim but it wouldn’t be a major shock for McCorkle to see playing time in 2020-21.

It is also important to mention that McCorkle is more than just a shooter. He is also a strong athlete and uses that to be a capable defender at either backcourt slot. He is dedicated to that end of the floor and that is something that Coach Bennett certainly values. McCorkle’s defensive instincts are sound as he is able to stay in front of his man as well as force the occasional turnover.

He was sidelined with an injury earlier this year but will have the entire offseason to recover from his surgery and be ready for the opening tip of his freshman campaign.

Home/Virginia Cavaliers