Chance Mallory Sets Decision Date, Includes UVA Basketball in Top Five

Matt Newton | Mar 10, 2025

2025 four-star point guard Chance Mallory has scheduled official visits to Virginia and each of his six finalists. / Adam Finkelstein/X

It's decision time for Chance Mallory.

The consensus four-star recruit, ESPN Top 100 point guard, Charlottesville native, and former UVA basketball commit has reportedly set his decision date and has narrowed his list of schools down to five finalists. As reported on Thursday afternoon (March 6th), Mallory will announce his college decision on Saturday, March 22nd and the five schools in the running are Maryland, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Virginia Tech, and Virginia.

NEWS: 4⭐️ Chance Mallory is down to five schools and will announce his commitment on March 22nd, he tells @On3Recruits.

The 5-9 Point Guard is a top-50 recruit in the 2025 class.

Story: https://t.co/vTGrU9C3Pv pic.twitter.com/8qppeGUjgx

— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) March 6, 2025

Mallory, who played his high school ball at St. Anne's-Belfield School, essentially across the street from John Paul Jones Arena, seemed destined to play at Virginia throughout his recruiting process and that appeared to be coming to fruition when he committed to UVA back on September 20th. Then, Tony Bennett retired about a month later and Mallory understandably decided to decommit and reopen his recruitment on October 29th. Mallory has said that he is still considering Virginia, and while he has since taken visits to Miami, Tennessee, Maryland, and Vanderbilt, he has also attended multiple UVA basketball games, including recent home games against Duke and Florida State.

Mallory currently has the following ratings according to the major recruiting services:

247Sports: four-star, No. 54 overall, No. 7 point guard, No. 3 in Virginia
On3: four-star, No. 56 overall, No. 8 point guard, No. 3 in Virginia
Rivals: four-star, No. 61 overall, No. 12 point guard
ESPN: four-star, No. 88 overall, No. 18 point guard, No. 4 in Virginia

Mallory is one of just eight players in the ESPN Top 100 for the class of 2025 who has yet to announce his college commitment.

Given the fact that Mallory is one of very few players of his caliber in the 2025 class who has yet to make his college selection, and based on his continued interest in Virginia despite Tony Bennett's departure and the resulting turbulent season, one could conclude that at least part of the reason for Mallory's delayed announcement is that he is waiting for UVA to stabilize its coaching situation, either by giving Ron Sanchez the reins full-time or hiring a new head coach.

But while there used to be no specific timetable regarding Mallory's recruitment, now there is a firm deadline in place and the Cavaliers would do well to have their coaching situation sorted out if they want to have a chance at getting Mallory to recommit. Mallory has waited as long as he could, but the transfer portal is set to open on March 24th, just two days after his set decision date of March 22nd. If he hasn't actually made his college decision yet, then UVA could still make a late push for Mallory, but that's a big IF.

Virginia has one regular season game remaining - at Syracuse on Saturday night - then the ACC Tournament next week in Charlotte. Beyond that, postseason play is not at all guaranteed for the Cavaliers, who are not in consideration for an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, but could potentially be selected for the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). Will Virginia finish its season and make a decision on its coaching situation, one way or another, in time to win Mallory's commitment for a second time? We will find out soon.

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