Cavaliers Now

Duke Forward TJ Power Transfers to Virginia Basketball

Matt Newton

TJ Power shoots a three-pointer during the Duke men's basketball game against La Salle at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
TJ Power shoots a three-pointer during the Duke men's basketball game against La Salle at Cameron Indoor Stadium. / Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports

Virginia picked up a massive addition out of the transfer portal as Duke forward transfer and former five-star recruit TJ Power announced his commitment to UVA on Monday night. Power joins the Cavaliers with three years of eligibility remaining.

Power's journey to become a Cavalier has been a long time coming, as Virginia was once the frontrunner to land his commitment out of high school back in 2022. The 6'9" sharpshooter from Shrewsbury, Massachusetts took multiple visits to UVA and spoke extremely highly of his relationship with Tony Bennett, but as his recruiting stock elevated to the point where he became a five-star prospect and a top 25 recruit in the country, the Blue Bloods inevitably came calling and Power ultimately committed to Duke, with Virginia finishing as the unfortunate runner-up in his recruitment.

But in predictable fashion, Power's time in Durham was short-lived, as he entered the transfer portal after his freshman season. He averaged just seven minutes and 2.1 points per game and with another crop of talented freshmen coming in to Duke next year, Power's prospects for increased playing time next season weren't very good.

Power had plenty of major conference suitors in the transfer portal and appeared to be headed back to his home state of Massachusetts after taking an official visit to Boston College last week, but Tony Bennett and the Cavaliers managed to guide him back to Charlottesville in a massive recruiting victory for the UVA coaching staff.

TJ Power immediately changes the complexion of Virginia's roster for next season, filling in the team's biggest need as a sharpshooting stretch four. He shot 35.7% from beyond the arc on 42 total attempts, but those numbers should improve with more playing time and more shots. Power comes to UVA with three years of eligibility remaining.

Power is the second transfer Virginia has added this offseason, joining Florida State transfer guard Jalen Warley, who committed to UVA on Saturday. With Power and Warley in the fold, the Cavaliers have two open scholarship spots remaining for the 2024-2025 season.

Virginia hosted two other transfer portal targets on Monday, with San Diego State transfer forward Elijah Saunders and Kansas State transfer guard Dai Dai Ames taking official visits.

More Virginia Men's Basketball News and Content

Virginia Basketball Transfer Portal Contact Live Tracker
Report: Virginia Hosting Kansas State Guard Transfer Dai Dai Ames

Virginia Hosting San Diego State Transfer Forward Elijah Saunders
Former Virginia Wing Leon Bond III Transfers to Northern Iowa
Virginia Basketball Lands First Transfer Commitment From FSU Guard Jalen Warley
Virginia to Host Four-Star Point Guard Trent Perry for Official Visit

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Matt Newton

MATT NEWTON

Managing Editor and Publisher, CavaliersNow Email: mattnewton@virginia.eduTwitter: @mattynewtssWebsite | LinkedIn | Instagram Matt Newton is the managing editor and publisher at CavaliersNow. He has been covering UVA athletics since 2019 and has been the managing editor at CavaliersNow since launching the site in August 2021. Matt covers all things UVA sports, including Virginia basketball and football news and recruiting, former Wahoos in the pros, and coverage of all 23 of the NCAA Division I sports teams at the University of Virginia. A native of Downingtown, Pennsylvania, Matt grew up a huge Philadelphia sports fan, but has also been a UVA sports fanatic his entire life thanks to his parents, who are alums of the University of Virginia. Matt followed in his parents' footsteps and attended UVA from 2017-2021, graduating with a degree in Media Studies and a minor in Economics in May of 2021.