Virginia Adds To 2017 Class With Commitment From Francesco Badocchi

Francesco Badocchi will play for head coach Tony Bennett at the University of Virginia. Badocchi, a 6’7”, 215-pound forward out of Bishop Miege (Mission Viejo, KS), announced his college intentions in a tweet late Sunday night.

Badocchi also considered Illinois, the school he took an official visit to prior to heading to Charlottesville for an official April 19 and 20. Virginia offered a scholarship while the athletic prospect was on Grounds, and the Illini came through with an offer shortly thereafter.

Badocchi is the type of athletic 4-man Tony Bennett has enjoyed success with in his Virginia tenure with players such as Akil Mitchell, Darion Atkins, and now Isaiah Wilkins. A native of Italy, Badocchi played two years at Bishop Miege and helped the boys varsity basketball squad to consecutive Division 4A championships. He averaged 13.9 points per game as a senior, boasting a 21-point performance in the state title contest.

This coming season Badocchi will join a frontcourt expected to include Wilkins, a senior, as well as redshirt junior Jack Salt, redshirt sophomore Mamadi Diakite, and redshirt freshman Jay Huff. He is one of three newcomers expected on Grounds this summer, joining Rutgers graduate transfer guard Nigel Johnson and class of 2017 wing prospect Marco Anthony.

Virginia’s 2017/2018 scholarship projection now looks like this …

PG: Nigel Johnson (SR), Ty Jerome (SOPH)
WINGS: Devon Hall (RS SR), Kyle Guy (SOPH), De’Andre Hunter (RS FR), Marco Anthony (FR)
POSTS: Isaiah Wilkins (SR), Jack Salt (RS JR), Mamadi Diakite (RS SOPH), Jay Huff (RS FR), Francesco Badocchi (FR)

Check out highlights of UVA’s newest pledge below (courtesy of Rivals through YouTube) and stay tuned for much more from TheSabre.com in the coming days.