UVa Reportedly The Favorite For Transfer Austin Nichols
Memphis has granted Austin Nichols a full, unconditional release, meaning the 6’8″ forward can now transfer to any school he wants. According to CBS Sports senior college basketball columnist Gary Parrish, UVa is now the favorite to land the former 5-star prospect out of Briarcrest Christian (Eads, TN). ESPN reports this as well.
Along with Auburn, Duke, Memphis, Tennessee and Vanderbilt, UVa made Nichols’ finalist list his senior of high school. He did take an official visit to UVa but ultimately signed with Memphis, where in two seasons he averaged 11 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game. As a sophomore, Nichols averaged 13.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 3.4 blocks per games.
Whatever Division 1 school he decides to transfer to, Nichols will have to sit out the 2015/2016 season but will have two years of eligibility remaining beginning in 2016/2017. The Cavaliers expect to lose two prominent post players — power forward Anthony Gill and center Mike Tobey — following this coming season, and as of now Isaiah Wilkins, Jack Salt, Jarred Reuter, and class of 2016 commitment Jay Huff are the only post players projected to be on scholarship in 2016/2017.
Certainly, Nichols would be a major boost to the 2016/2017 frontcourt if he decides to come.
Another Class of 2016 Offer Goes Out
According to this tweet, UVa has offered a scholarship to 6’9″, 220-pound power forward Romello White.
White impressed at last week’s Adidas Uprising Gauntlet Finale, scoring 42 points (15, 12, 15) in three games while making 15 of 23 field goal attempts. He pulled down 26 rebounds as well in those three games.
SMU is another new offer for the standout power forward, who is rated a 4-star recruit by 247Sports and a 3-star prospect by Rivals and Scout. Other offers include Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kansas State, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas A&M. White verbally committed to Tennessee back in January of this year, but he de-committed following the dismissal of Donnie Tyndall as Vols head coach.
Jones Adds Offers
MacArthur (Irving, TX) class of 2016 shooting guard Andrew Jones had a good week at the Nike Peach Jam last week. UVa came through with a scholarship offer as a result. Since Virginia offered, the 6’4″, 185-pound rising senior has picked up offers from Texas, Virginia Tech, Arizona, and now TCU. Baylor, Kansas State and SMU headline the schools that had offered before last week’s Evaluation Period.
