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VCU Basketball: Rams building elite 2022 class with Alphonzo Billups pickup

By Tristan Freeman

Feb 17, 2021; Richmond, Virginia, USA; VCU Rams players celebrates after their game against the Richmond Spiders at Stuart C. Siegel Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 17, 2021; Richmond, Virginia, USA; VCU Rams players celebrates after their game against the Richmond Spiders at Stuart C. Siegel Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /
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There have to be some leftover resentful feelings for VCU Basketball after how the NCAA Tournament went for them. They had to leave due to covid-related issues before their first-round game and had real potential to make a run, led by star guard Nah’Shon Hyland.

But Hyland ended up leaving for the NBA Draft, getting selected by the Denver Nuggets with the 26th pick. Not only was that a devastating blow for the roster but it blunted the program overall when it came to building momentum for the long term. Yet that may not be true after all, considering the key class of 2022 pickups for VCU.

The first prospect the program landed was Christian Fermin, a 6’9 three-star power forward ranked in the top-150 that had several high-major offers before picking them. He’s an athlete with long-term potential for a team that has been lacking some frontcourt production.

And things only got better for VCU, landing four-star wing Alphonzo Billups this week. 247sportsComposite has him ranked in the top-100 overall, with power conference programs such as Pittsburgh, NC State, and Oklahoma State also in the running to land him.

https://twitter.com/AlphonzoBillups/status/1430280007818043400

The 6’7 small forward has great size and skill that allows him to be a two-way threat. That works well for VCU’s system that needs good defenders to be successful but will have to find some offensive production to replace Hyland. Billups is a good shooter and can create offense for himself and others and over time can become one of the best players in the Atlantic 10.

There’s a real chance that Billups will get immediate playing time as a freshman since rising senior wing and double-digit scorer Vince Williams very well will be gone after next year. We’ve seen freshmen stars in the A-10 before and this wing has the raw potential to do so.

Next. 10 key Big East questions for 2021-22 season. dark

It’s huge for VCU Basketball to land a hometown product in Alphonzo Billups even after he blew up this Summer. The momentum built from last season didn’t stop after the tournament disaster and the Rams, who have been one of the most consistent mid-major programs in the past decade, are in a position to remain at the top-tier of the Atlantic 10.