The Cavaliers have secured their first transfer commitment of the offseason, with Florida State transfer guard Jalen Warley choosing Virginia, as reported by On3’s Joe Tipton. Standing at 6’7″ and hailing from Philadelphia, Warley visited UVA officially on Thursday and confirmed his commitment shortly thereafter. Virginia was reportedly the sole school he visited after entering the transfer portal.
During his tenure at Florida State, Warley participated in 96 games, starting 58 of them. In the most recent season, he started 32 out of 33 games, averaging a career-best 7.5 points per game, accompanied by 2.8 assists, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.3 steals. Although his three-point shooting percentage was low at 14.3%, Virginia is optimistic that he can return to his previous form, where he shot 32.3% from beyond the arc in the 2022-2023 season.
Warley, a highly sought-after prospect out of high school, chose Florida State over several other prominent programs. However, Virginia’s head coach Tony Bennett managed to bring him to Charlottesville for his final year of eligibility after reestablishing contact following his entry into the transfer portal.
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With his height advantage at 6’7″, Warley will provide defensive versatility, capable of guarding multiple positions. Offensively, he could take on the role of point guard for the Cavaliers, who currently only have one natural point guard, redshirt freshman Christian Bliss, on the roster. Warley demonstrated solid playmaking ability with a 2.5 assist-to-turnover ratio for the Seminoles last season.
Warley’s commitment fills 10 of the 13 scholarship spots for Virginia’s 2024-2025 season. The team is set to host San Diego State transfer forward Elijah Saunders for an official visit as they seek to replace Ryan Dunn at power forward. Additionally, Campbell guard transfer Anthony Dell’Orso, known for his scoring prowess, is expected to visit UVA soon. The Cavaliers are also awaiting a commitment from four-star point guard Trent Perry, who visited the campus last month.
