How Are UVA’s Former Basketball Players Doing After Transferring Out?

Although the Virginia Cavaliers have acquired true talent from the transfer portal over the years, they've also lost quite a bit. During the 2024-25 offseason, UVA experienced quite a bit of movement in the portal. With the 2025-26 campaign underway, let's take a look at how their former players are performing after transferring to other programs ahead of this season.

Elijah Saunders (Maryland)

A basketball player in a red uniform dribbling an orange basketball past a player in a black uniform — Dec 13, 2025; College Park, Maryland, USA; Maryland Terrapins forward Elijah Saunders (13) controls the ball against the Michigan Wolverines at Xfinity Center. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images | Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images

With Virginia's upcoming matchup against Maryland on the horizon, this will be a unique opportunity to scope out how senior forward Elijah Saunders is performing on the court this year. With the Terrapins, he has appeared in 11 games, logging an average of 8.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, 0.9 assists and 0.1 blocks per game.

Ishan Sharma (St. Louis)

A basketball player in a white uniform dribbling an orange basketball while being guarded by a player wearing navy blue — Mar 8, 2025; Syracuse, New York, USA; Syracuse Orange guard Lucas Taylor (3) controls the ball as Virginia Cavaliers guard Ishan Sharma (9) during the second half at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images | Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

Sophomore guard Ishan Sharma is still fresh into his collegiate career and is now playing for St. Louis after one year with UVA. During his 2024-25 campaign, he averaged 3.4 points per game with 1.3 rebounds through 29 games and one start. This year with the Billikens, he has seen a spike in his production, averaging 8.6 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists across 10 matchups.

Jacob Cofie (USC)

Basketball players jumping up to catch an orange basketball in the air during a game — Dec 2, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Southern California Trojans forward Jacob Cofie (6) and Oregon Ducks forward Sean Stewart (13) chase a loose ball during the second half at Matthew Knight Arena. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images | Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

Now with the USC Trojans, forward sophomore Jacob Cofie is tallying 10.2 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.1 blocks per game, shooting 54.2%. During his freshman year with UVA, the 6-foot-10, 231-pound rising star averaged 7.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.0 assist and 0.8 blocks per game. The Trojans boast a 10-1 overall record, and Cofie, who leads his team in rebounds, has been a significant contributor to their success.

TJ Power (UPenn)

A basketball player in a navy blue uniform shooting an orange basketball while being guarded — Nov 11, 2025; Providence, Rhode Island, USA; Penn Quakers forward TJ Power (12) shoots over Providence Friars guard Stefan Vaaks (7) during the second half at Amica Mutual Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

TJ Power comes with immense size, which is a major asset to any basketball program. At 6-foot-9, 220 pounds, it only makes sense that he leads his program in rebounds (7.6). Not only can he operate under the basket, but he is also a productive shooter, averaging 15.0 points per game. This places him just below Ethan Roberts, who averages 18.0 points per game.

Anthony Robinson (Xavier)

A basketball player yelling while wearing a blue and gray uniform on the court — Nov 28, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Xavier Musketeers forward Anthony Robinson (21) reacts after a play in the second half against the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders at Cintas Center. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

Anthony Robinson was the sixth Virginia player to enter the transfer portal last offseason, eventually finding his home at Xavier. With UVA, he averaged 3.6 points per game with 2.4 rebounds and 0.1 assists. This year, with the Musketeers, he is following a similar pattern with 3.7 points per game, 3.9 rebounds and 0.4 assists. He is shooting 58.8%, and given that he's only a sophomore, he has plenty of time left to continue developing with the ball.

Andrew Rohde (Wisconsin)

A basketball player in a white uniform dribbling an orange basketball — Dec 10, 2025; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers forward Braden Frager (5) drives against Wisconsin Badgers guard Andrew Rohde (7) during the first half at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Senior guard Andrew Rohde previously spent two seasons with UVA before transferring to Wisconsin. A major draw for Rohde was the proximity to home. As a Wisconsin native, Rohde explained, "Playing for Wisconsin means a lot to me. Getting the chance to compete at a high level in front of my family, for a program I've always admired, is something I'm truly thankful for..."

Now well into his first full season with the Badgers, he is averaging 7.3 points, 2.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 0.1 blocks per game.

Isaac McKneely (Louisville)

A basketball player in a black uniform holding an orange basketball while being guarded — Dec 16, 2025; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Louisville Cardinals guard Isaac McKneely (10) moves the ball against Tennessee Volunteers guard Troy Henderson (24) during the first half at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-Imagn Images | Randy Sartin-Imagn Images

After spending three seasons with Virginia, many UVA fans were frustrated to watch McKneely head to Louisville for his senior year. During his time with the Cavaliers, his most successful season was in 2024-25 when he recorded a career high by averaging 14.4 points per game, along with 2.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 0.1 blocks across 32 games, shooting 43.9% from the floor.

Now working through his first season with Louisville, he is averaging 10.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 0.2 blocks per game, shooting 41.5%. Upon landing him, head coach Pat Kelsey stated, "One of his special gifts as a player is his ability to make shots, but his basketball IQ, athleticism, ability to pass and competitive nature are all strengths."

Dai Dai Ames (Cal)

A basketball player in a white uniform preparing to shoot an orange basketball — Dec 13, 2025; Berkeley, California, USA; California Golden Bears guard Dai Dai Ames (7) shoots a free throw against the Northwestern State Demons during the first half at Haas Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Guard Dai Dai Ames was a key factor in the Cavaliers' offensive performance in 2024-25. While with Virginia, he posted and average of 8.7 points per game, along with 1.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 0.4 blocks. Upon transferring to California, Golden Bears' head coach Mark Madsen described him as a "fearless player; he's extremely quick with the ball in his hands and has a natural feel for the game that we value in this program."

So far this year, the 6-foot-2, 190-pound junior is averaging 18.3 points, 2.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 0.1 blocks per game. With these numbers, it's no surprise that he leads his team in points. For reference, the second-most productive player in terms of points is teammate Justin Pippen (15.3).

Blake Buchanan (Iowa State)

A basketball player in a black uniform looking up to shoot an orange basketball while being guarded — Iowa Hawkeyes forward Cam Manyawu (3) looks for.shot around Iowa State Cyclones forward Blake Buchanan (23) during the first half in the men’s basketball Cy-Hawk series on Dec. 11, 2025, in Ames, Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Before transferring to Iowa State, forward Blake Buchanan had averaged 5.4 points per game, 5.3 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.1 blocks during the 2024-25 season with UVA. His sheer size was a major attraction for the Cyclones. Standing at 6-foot-10, 235 pounds, the junior has been a major asset to Iowa State. So far this year, he is averaging 9.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.5 blocks through 11 games.