BREAKING: Armaan Franklin turning pro, not returning for extra year of eligibility

Mar 31, 2023 - 10:05 PM

Virginia vs Duke" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/9Rb2sf0RLQsr4pMTEvJG_89octQ=/0x84:4702x2729/1920x1080/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72136071/1248053305.0.jpg" />

Now the fourth Wahoo to announce he won’t be returning next season, Armaan Franklin has declared that he will not be using his year of Covid-19 eligibility and will be turning to professional basketball and declaring for the NBA draft. After spending two seasons with the Virginia Cavaliers, Franklin is another critical piece who won’t be playing for UVA next year.

As Kihei Clark, Jayden Gardner, and Ben Vander Plas have all exhausted their eligibility, Francisco Caffaro, Kadin Shedrick, and Isaac Traudt are all in the transfer portal, and Franklin is turning his attention to playing professionally, this leaves UVA with very few returning players for the 2023-2024 season. The team will obviously need to add multiple pieces in the front-court, but Franklin’s departure and the potential for Reece Beekman to stay in the NBA Draft means that it’s entirely possible that Isaac McKneely, Ryan Dunn, and Taine Murray are Virginia’s only returning minute-getters from the 2022-2023 season.

With McKneely, Georgetown transfer Dante Harris who joined the ‘Hoos midseason, Murray, and incoming freshman Elijah Gertrude (who is coming off a serious knee injury during his senior season), the Wahoos are considerably light on guard experience should Beekman not return. Tony Bennett will want to add another ball handler via the portal, and probably will want another off-ball guard as well.