Mock Drafting the Virginia Men's Basketball Team

One final preview of the 2023-2024 UVA men's basketball roster with a playground style mock draft for a fictional intrasquad scrimmage

With the 2023-2024 Virginia men's basketball season set to begin on Monday, we're taking a unique angle to preview this year's Cavalier roster by doing a playground-style mock draft to create two teams for a fictional intrasquad scrimmage. Val and Matt had a lot of fun doing this with the UVA women's hoops roster last week, so we're doing it again with the men. Matt had the first pick this time around. 

Matt – Round 1
Reece Beekman

Like Victor Wembanyama, this was a no-brainer No. 1 pick. Reece Beekman returns as the reigning ACC Defensive Player of the Year, but more importantly, he’ll also be the focal point of the offense for the first time in his career. He wants to be a first round pick in next year’s NBA Draft and in order for that dream to become a reality, Beekman will have to make serious strides on the offensive end. He’ll facilitate all of UVA’s offense, but he also needs to hunt his own shot with an aggressiveness we haven’t seen from him so far in his career.

Val – Round 1
Ryan Dunn

While the top of the women’s draft was very unsettled – Matt got Camryn Taylor fourth overall, for goodness sakes – there was no doubt as to who the top dog is on this team. And I didn’t get him, so I’m going to buy into the hype with Dunn for my first pick. The tools are evident as Dunn has drawn comparisons to De'Andre Hunter since the first time he walked on Grounds. Dunn is actually more athletic than Hunter and should be a better defender.

Matt – Round 2
Isaac McKneely

The top three of the men’s draft were predetermined, but not necessarily the order. With you taking Dunn, which was the right call, I was left with another no-brainer decision. Isaac McKneely was the best three-point shooter on the team last season and he should be so again. Virginia is hoping McKneely will be one of the best sharpshooters in the country this season. He’s long been compared to Kyle Guy, but I think he has even greater potential given his measurements and athleticism. If UVA is to have a “Big Three” this season, McKneely will have to take a big step forward too.

Val – Round 2
Jordan Minor

This is either the worst pick of the entire draft, and one that will doom this team, or it will demonstrate my understanding of the man that is Tony Bennett. Bennett wants to win every game, even early games in the bleak midwinter, often to the detriment of developing guys for March play. If Blake Buchanan is playing, and the rumbles are that he is most definitely NOT redshirting, it would mean Bennett’s bench is going to be 10-deep. This is not to say Bennett can’t change, but it would be a departure. I still think Minor is going to get the majority of minutes at the 5.

Matt – Round 3
Blake Buchanan

You took the player we think will be Virginia’s starting center. I’ll take his likely backup. Blake Buchanan has a chance to be the first freshman center in over a decade to play significant minutes in his first season at UVA. That’s partly because of Virginia’s lack of depth in the front court, and partly because he’s ready for that challenge. He moves remarkably well for his size and is well-coordinated with the ball in his hands, a rare trait for a near seven-footer. Reece Beekman says he’s been impressed with Blake Buchanan. That’s a pretty valuable commendation.

Val – Round 3
Dante Harris

My former colleague, Zach Carey over at Streaking the Lawn spent his time at media day asking the players who was the hardest guy to guard, and Harris was the overwhelming choice. He is really fast. He transferred in to UVa after winter break last year, so he’s got a leg up on the understanding of the defense, and Bennett has shown a preference for two-PG lineups. We’ll soon learn if that was just Kihei Clark, but I’m betting it’s not.

Matt – Round 4
Leon Bond III

Leon Bond III shared player of the game honors with Reece Beekman at the Blue-White Scrimmage, as both scored 13 points to lead all scorers. Bond is coming off of a redshirt season and is looking to join McKneely and Dunn as rising stars from the 2022 recruiting class. He has the potential to do just that, as he’s shown an ability to score at all three levels and he has the physical tools to be an elite defender. But since we haven’t seen him in a real game at the college level yet, there’s still a great deal of uncertainty as to what kind of role/impact he’ll have this season.

Val – Round 4
Andrew Rohde

Man, I was hoping Bond was going to drop to me. I think he’s ready to explode. I’m expecting that he will be the most fun player to watch. I need some scoring and Rohde has got all the intangibles. I love his size – he’s 6’6” – and he’s got impressive range. He was the guy on his last team, so everyone knew he was going to take the shot. He won’t have to be that person on this team and he should benefit from all the attention that McKneely will draw.

Matt – Round 5
Jake Groves

Just like I took Bond from you, you took Rohde from me as I would have definitely taken him with this pick. Still, I think I may have gotten a steal in the fifth round with Jake Groves, as there are some rumblings in this final stage of the preseason that Groves could be a dark horse to crack Virginia’s starting five on opening night. In UVA’s game notes for the season opener, Groves is listed in Virginia’s “potential starting lineup.” That certainly isn’t final or official, but it gives some indication that the experienced sharpshooting stretch forward from Oklahoma is expected to have a key role for the Cavaliers this season.

Val – Round 5
Elijah Gertrude

Gertrude is a beast and he’s already the most physical player Bennett has ever had in his backcourt. He’s telling everyone within hearing distance that he’s not redshirting. Neither Beekman nor Harris are overly physical and there will come a time when the team needs the physicality that Gertrude brings. And if Bennett is really going to give Buchanan real minutes, then Bennett may be planning to have a true second unit.

Matt – Round 6
Anthony Robinson

Robinson might redshirt this season, but he showed in the Blue-White Scrimmage that he could contribute this season if called upon. He’s extremely physical and knows how to finish when the ball comes to him on the low block. Virginia’s front court is thin and I could see a realistic future in which Robinson plays this season. For what it’s worth, Tony Bennett said in his press conference that no final decisions have been made regarding redshirts.

Val – Round 6
Taine Murray

I won this round. Robinson, for as good as he looked in the Blue-White Scrimmage, isn't likely to play this year, whether he redshirts or not. Murray will actually see the floor, if only in garbage time. He’s been a useful player in his time at Charlottesville, but he never developed.

Draft Results

Matt: Reece Beekman, Isaac McKneely, Blake Buchanan, Leon Bond III, Jake Groves, Anthony Robinson

Val: Ryan Dunn, Jordan Minor, Dante Harris, Andrew Rohde, Elijah Gertrude, Taine Murray

Pimp Your Team

Matt

My team has Virginia's best player in Reece Beekman, best shooter in Isaac McKneely, and possibly the team's best three shooters in McKneely, Beekman, and Groves. I've also got the edge in front court size, but the rebounding could still be a toss up between our two teams. Leon Bond III could be an X-factor for my team as well. 

Val

My team is more athletic. I got Dunn, Gertrude and Harris and I for one would let this team run. And in those three, I’ve got the better defenders. Rohde is the key to this team, as he will be for the team as a whole. If Rohde matches McKneely from deep, it’s going to be a good year for the Hoos.

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