Virginia Basketball: Why TJ Power is the most important team transfer for 2024-25

There’s a certain pedigree that we all understand about basketball at Virginia. Tony Bennett’s squad cut down the nets five years ago, but their slow, defensive-minded approach can sometimes lead to upset or disappointment. Last season fell more in line with disappointment as the Cavaliers were blown out of the First Four of the NCAA Tournament, with that national success getting further and further in the past.

There wasn’t quite the same level of talent on last year’s squad as in some year’s past, but it’s a roster that’ll look different again this season. Leading scorer Reece Beekman is gone while Ryan Dunn is off to the NBA. A few other pieces won’t be back in Charlottesville, though the Cavaliers do return both Isaac McKneely and Andrew Rhode after solid sophomore seasons.

A slew of transfers enter the fold for the Cavaliers, with many of them young pieces with varying levels of experience. Former Kansas State point guard Dai Dai Ames and Vanderbilt center Carter Lang each have just a year of collegiate experience, while San Diego State forward Elijah Saunders has been to a national title game. Virginia also nabbed a pair of transfers from inside the ACC, one of which is former Florida State guard Jalen Warley.

The other of those ACC transfers is TJ Power, a former Top 25 recruit from Massachusetts who’s coming off an underwhelming freshman year at Duke. Though a highly-regarded prospect, Power didn’t find reliable playing time in the Blue Devils’ rotation, averaging just 2.1 points and 0.7 rebounds per game while playing barely 7 minutes a night.

Last season was not any kind of indication at Power’s potential, and that potential is exactly what Bennett and company are hoping to bring out of him. When he’s on his game, he’s a solid court presence who can create around the rim while also knocking down jumpers from outside the arc. He rated as a plus-rebounder and was solid from the charity stripe, though his defense still needs some work.

He’s certainly at one of the best spots in the nation to learn defense and it’s likely that he’ll take a big step forward in that regard in this system. The Virginia system isn’t sexy by any means but it utilizes players like Power who can make their own shots and play smart basketball. Getting Power to realize that potential is going to be the challenge, though that seems to be a theme with this transfer class. Virginia has added a slew of young pieces who they’re hoping will develop into studs; though Power is certainly the one with the highest ceiling.

The Cavaliers snuck into the NCAA Tournament last season, taking a big step back after a slew of recent ACC regular season titles. They didn’t sit on their hands in the offseason, adding plenty of young talent in hopes of building another powerful lineup. Did Bennett and company add enough in the offseason to compete in an expanded ACC? Does Power have what it takes to develop into an All-ACC forward?