The Virginia Cavaliers have recently utilized the live recruiting period provided by the NCAA. Within the last couple of days, they extended offers to highly-regarded prospects JJ Mandaquit and Jack McCaffery for the 2025 class.
Mandaquit, who is ranked in the top 50 and is considered one of the top 10 point guards in his class, received the offer from Virginia on July 15, as reported by Matthew Newton of Sports Illustrated. Mandaquit showcased his skills at the Addidas 3 Stripes Select Palmetto Championships in Rock Hill, South Carolina over the weekend.
Expressing his gratitude on social media, Mandaquit stated, “Grateful to receive an offer from the University of Virginia,”. “Thank you to Coach Tony Bennett for this opportunity.”
Virginia Basketball extends scholarship offers to two 4-star recruits from the class of 2025, one of whom is the son of the Iowa Hawkeyes coach, expressing a desire to play elsewhere rather than under his father’s guidance
Meanwhile, McCaffery’s offer from UVa. was received on Wednesday.
In a post on social media, McCaffery shared, “After engaging in productive discussions with Coach Bennett and Coach [Ron] Sanchez, I am thrilled to announce that I have been offered a spot at the University of Virginia!”
Virginia finished the 2023-24 season with a record of 23-11, exiting the NCAA Tournament after a First Four game. This marked the Cavaliers’ third consecutive season with over 20 wins and the 14th year in a row with a winning record. However, despite their success, Virginia has not won a game in the NCAA Tournament since clinching the national championship in 2019.
The upcoming Virginia team is expected to be relatively youthful, featuring only three seniors. Bennett and his coaching staff have extended a total of 19 offers to prospective members of the class of 2025. Among these offers, seven are directed towards point guards or combo guards, seven to wing players, and five to frontcourt players.
Who exactly is JJ Mandaquit?
Mandaquit, a 17-year-old 6-1 point guard originally from Hilo, Hawaii, relocated with his family to Oahu in 2018 before moving to Utah in 2022, where he currently plays for Utah Prep.
During the spring and summer, Mandaquit played for Compton Magic, although he was sidelined until May. He also contributed to the USA U17 FIBA World Cup team, securing a gold medal while averaging 6.6 points, 6.1 assists, and 2.1 steals per game with a shooting percentage of 44.4/21.1/66.7% in six games totaling 18 minutes each. Notably, he achieved double-figure scoring twice and recorded 11 assists against Italy in the Finals.
Most major scouting services regard Mandaquit as a four-star recruit, with rankings varying between No. 47 and No. 89 in his class. On3 holds him in the highest regard at No. 47, while Rivals places him at No. 89. On3’s scouting report on Mandaquit is as follows:
“JJ Madaquit is a high IQ point guard. He is very cerebral, and he reads the game at an advanced level. The ball is on a strong, and he manipulates angles very well, creating both space and opportunity. While he is an average athlete, he gives good effort on the defensive end. Mandaquit has an array of paint finishes, with floaters and runners. Size may be a question; he plays with a great pace and attacks with great balance.”
Recruitment of Mandaquit’s
Mandaquit currently has 15 offers, including three from the ACC. The ACC schools that have offered him are Louisville and Stanford. Other programs that have extended offers to him include Hawai’i, Washington State, LSU, Creighton, San Diego State, Tennessee, Florida Atlantic, Washington, BYU, USC, and Arizona State.
Notably, the offer from Washington State was made when Kyle Smith, now the head coach at Stanford, was coaching there. Mandaquit has taken official visits to Hawai’i and Washington State in the past fall, as well as an unofficial visit to Stanford last winter.
In a recent interview with Jaime Shaw of On3, Mandaquit mentioned that he has not been contacted by the new coaching staff at Washington State. He also stated that he is in the process of planning official visits to Creighton, LSU, Louisville, Stanford, and BYU. He intends to narrow down his list of options before the end of summer and schedule visits for the fall.
“My signing timeline is currently uncertain, and I don’t have a concrete plan at the moment. I prefer to remain open to possibilities as things progress since a lot can change. I aim to take my time and avoid making hasty decisions.
In my recruitment journey, the coaching staff holds significant importance to me. As a point guard, I see myself as an extension of the coach on the court. Therefore, establishing a strong relationship with the head coach is crucial. Player development is also a key factor for me as I constantly strive to enhance my skills and elevate my game.
I am inclined towards playing in an up-tempo style and am adept at operating in numerous ball screen situations. However, my priority lies in being part of a team with skilled shooters in a spacious environment, alongside talented big men with whom I can execute lob passes and run effective screens.”
Who exactly Is Jack McCaffery?
McCaffery, standing at 6-8, is a highly regarded power forward hailed as the top basketball talent in Iowa. A student at West Senior High School in Iowa City (IA), he is notably the son of Fran McCaffery, the head coach of the Iowa Hawkeyes. In a departure from his brothers Patrick and Connor, McCaffery has expressed his disinterest in playing under his father.
In an interview with Jeff Johnson of The Iowa City Gazette, McCaffery emphatically stated his reluctance to play for Iowa, saying, “Oh, no, no, no.” He shared insights into the challenges faced by his brothers and mother, Margaret, due to the pressures involved. Observing the scrutiny his brother Connor faced from fans, despite his pivotal role as a floor leader and the program’s all-time wins leader, influenced McCaffery’s decision to seek a different path.
During his recent high school season, McCaffery showcased his skills by averaging 15.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.8 blocked shots. Additionally, he participated in the USA’s U18 Junior National Team training camp.
Widely recognized as a consensus four-star recruit and positioned in the top 110 players, McCaffery holds varying rankings across recruiting services. ESPN places him highest at No. 73, while Rivals designates him as a three-star prospect at No. 132 overall.
Currently fielding eight scholarship offers, McCaffery is considering opportunities from Butler, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, Bryant, Utah, UTSA, and VCU, among other programs.
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