UVA Basketball: Isaac Traudt to Redshirt This Season
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The expectations for Virginia's star-studded freshmen class got even higher on Friday as Isaac McKneely (15 points, 4 threes) and Ryan Dunn (13 points, 6 rebounds, 3 blocks, 2 steals) burst onto the scene in UVA's 89-42 victory over Monmouth.
For the other half of UVA's first-year class, it seems we'll have to wait another year to see them make their debuts. Tony Bennett reported on Friday that 6'10" freshman Isaac Traudt will redshirt this season, joining Leon Bond III, who is also planning on redshirting this season, as announced on Monday.
Bennett elaborated on the redshirting topic after Friday's game:
"We have more depth this year. They all have shown flashes. And actually when we were in Italy, you could see they all can help us. But it was one of those deals where we weren't going to redshirt Leon. We were going to see and take kind of a month at a time and look at it. But with Leon, I think he decided after that first game, and it's always up to the players. And Isaac Traudt and I talked and he just said, 'I think I can really go to work,' he said, 'and develop my body.' He said, 'right now, I think that's the plan.' So I'm so thankful he did because everyone would have played in this game, and once a guy plays, you burn that [redshirt]."
Bennett said repeatedly in the weeks leading up to the season that UVA had as many as 12 players who could contribute meaningful minutes for the Cavaliers this season. But since it is highly unlikely that Virginia would ever play that many players on a regular basis, one or two of those players had to be on the other side of that cut line. Given the number of veterans on this team, Bennett has been very clear that there is a big opportunity waiting for this freshmen class next season with as many as five regular rotation players potentially leaving the program after this season. The freshmen will have to be patient, but next year can and should be big for all four of them. The decisions of Traudt and Bond to redshirt this season reflect their commitment to the program and to their own personal development, saving a year of eligibility.
For now, it's looking more and more like Isaac McKneely and Ryan Dunn will be very valuable pieces for the Cavaliers this season, while the 2023-2024 season could be extremely special with Isaac Traudt and Leon Bond III joining the fold.
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