Virginia in pursuit of nation’s No. 1 juco power forward

By Jerry Ratcliffe

One of the top junior college players in America has been contacted by Virginia basketball as the Cavaliers continue to pursue talent to fill out a roster for the 2021-22 season.

UVA has reached out to Langston Wilson, a 6-foot-9, 210-pound power forward, who was just released from Alabama. Wilson had signed a National Letter of Intent with the Crimson Tide but got cold feet and backed out after ‘Bama received three commitments from highly ranked players last week.

Wilson is ranked the No. 1 junior college power forward in the country and the No. 2 overall juco prospect. He recently finished his second year at Georgia Highlands College, where he averaged 9.6 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.2 blocks last season. Those numbers were close to his freshman campaign when he averaged 10.1 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game and shot 54 percent over a 32-game schedule.

Originally from Upper Darby, Pa., Wilson is a strong offensive rebounder who attacks the rim, making him a perfect fit for Virginia, which is attempting to stock its frontcourt after losing Sam Hauser and Jay Huff.

There are a ton of schools in pursuit of Wilson, including UVA, NC State, Maryland, West Virginia, Texas, Oklahoma, Clemson, Georgia, Missouri, Washington and many more.

It’s no mystery why he’s become a popular recruit this week. His potential is off the map. Due to a misdiagnosis in high school, Wilson was not allowed to play basketball until he reached college. He has a tremendous upside. His length and athleticism make him highly attractive.

Virginia acquired two players from the transfer portal, 6-8 Jayden Gardner, a power forward from East Carolina, and Armann Franklin, a 6-4 shooting guard from Indiana. Both are eligible immediately, as would be Wilson.