TJ Power announced last month that he was leaving Duke University after one season on the men’s basketball team and entering the transfer portal.
Just under three weeks later and two days after finishing final exams at Duke, the former five-star recruit from Shrewsbury who starred at St. John’s High and Worcester Academy revealed where he would continue his academic and athletic careers.
Power will remain in the Atlantic Coast Conference, as he posted on Twitter Monday night that he committed to the University of Virginia.
The Cavaliers were, along with Boston College, Iowa and North Carolina, one of five schools that made the final selection from more than two dozen Division 1 programs to offer Power a scholarship before he committed to Duke, two years ago.
Power, a 6-foot-2, 216-pound forward, averaged 2.1 points, 0.7 rebounds, 0.2 assists and 6.7 minutes in 26 games during his lone season with the Blue Devils, who advanced to the Elite Eight before being eliminated from the NCAA Tournament.
However, those numbers belie a player who was coveted in the transfer portal for his high basketball IQ, versatility, team-first mentality and massive upside.
While Power’s decision to leave Duke was undoubtedly difficult, it was logical.
The Blue Devils entered the offseason with more scholarship commitments – due to a top-in-the-nation recruiting class headlined by presumptive 2023 NBA No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg, which included four other players capable of playing in the front court – than roster spots.
So something had to give, as opportunities to showcase your skills on game day would likely once again be hard to come by.
Power was one of seven Duke players to enter the transfer portal.
Now let’s move to Virginia, where Power is projected to be a Day 1 starter for the Cavaliers, whose roster is short on power forwards.
Power did not immediately return a message left with him seeking comment.
—Contact Rich Garven at rgarven@telegram.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @RichGarvenTG.
This article was originally published on Telegram & Gazette: Worcester Academy Power Announces Transfer to University of Virginia
