Shooting Guard
Reece Beekman and Armaan Franklin are two players that could find themselves competing for the shooting guard role, though with some size issues in the frontcourt, they could both end up in the starting rotation.
Beekman started 20 of 25 games for UVA basketball in 2020-21, averaging 4.7 ppg, 3.0 apg, 2.8 rpg, and 1.2 spg. He’s a burly 6-foot-2 guard that does well to defend the ball and returns after turning in a 100.3 defensive rating this past season. If he can show more on the offensive end, he’s got the potential to be a breakout star in the rotation.
Franklin joins the roster after spending the past two seasons with Indiana basketball. He put up 11.4 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 2.1 apg, and 1.2 spg while shooting 42.4 percent from behind the arc this past season. He certainly possesses the ability to shoot the ball on the perimeter, among other traits.
His ability to rebound the basketball could carry him to the small forward spot. While on paper the Cavaliers will look a bit small, have no doubt they should be their usual defensive-minded selves.
Carson McCorkle is another name to keep an eye on in the backcourt. He’s a 6-foot-3 guard that can do a little bit of everything and appeared in eight contests in 2020-21.