After college basketball season concludes in early April, the focus for the sport shifts to the transfer portal as a growing number of players seek to relocate for different opportunities. The Virginia basketball program, fresh off its first National Championship, is not immune to that reality. On Monday afternoon, sophomore Marco Anthony announced via social media that he intends to transfer from UVA.
https://twitter.com/MarcoJAnthony/status/1120397737701335040
As noted in that post, Anthony does not seem to be leaving on sour terms. “These past two years, I have not only grown as a basketball player but as a person,” Anthony wrote. He referenced the program’s “pillars” and thanked everyone from his teammates to the coaches to varying members of the athletics department as well. Anthony mentioned those things again in the official news release from the school about his transfer decision.
“I had an amazing experience at the University of Virginia,” Anthony said. “Thanks to Coach Bennett, the entire staff and my teammates. The memories created, the relationships built, and the pillars I have inherited are all things I will carry with me to the next school I attend.”
Still, players want to see time on the court and that hasn’t been the case for Anthony at Virginia. He picked up just 103 minutes as a freshman and 118 minutes with just 3 minutes in the postseason (2 minutes in the ACC Tournament and 1 minute in the NCAA Tournament) as a sophomore. His biggest night came during a fill-in role against Louisville as a freshman.
With De’Andre Hunter (ankle sprain), Nigel Johnson (suspension), Devon Hall (flu-like symptoms), and Ty Jerome (foul trouble) missing minutes for varying reasons, UVA turned to Anthony that night. He delivered with 10 points in 18 minutes in a 74-64 win at the John Paul Jones Arena.
His teammates saluted his readiness for that contest.
“He works his butt off, so I’m so happy for him and to see him go out there and play that well,” Hall said after the win. “I wasn’t really surprised because he works his butt off and he always says ‘I’m just waiting on my moments,’ so he did a great job tonight. He helped us, big lift.”
The San Antonio, Texas, native would have been returning to an uncertain situation if he stayed with the Hoos. The Cavaliers will lose both De’Andre Hunter, Ty Jerome, and Kyle Guy to the NBA Draft. Those three players ate up a lot of the wing minutes the past two seasons and that’s Anthony’s most natural fit for the program. Braxton Key is an expected front runner for the wing minutes for the upcoming season. Four-star recruit Casey Morsell is expected to figure into the outlook as well thanks to his defense and shooting ability that was on display in the high school ranks.
As Hall did after the Louisville game, Anthony’s work ethic is what his coaches and teammates pointed to the most during his time with the program. Between the Duke and Louisville games as a freshman, for example, he hit the gym the night of the Duke game to shoot with managers after the team came back to Charlottesville. That’s something that will make him an attractive recommendation for potential landing spots as a transfer.
“Marco informed me that he is leaving the Virginia basketball program and transferring to another school,” UVA coach Tony Bennett said in the news release. “I thank Marco for his hard work and contributions to our program, and wish him success in the future.”
