Report: Virginia transfer Jalen Warley sets up visit to Gonzaga, two other programs
Nov. 12—Tony Bennett's unexpected retirement from Virginia last month opened up a 30-day window for players on the Cavaliers' roster to enter the NCAA transfer portal.
Jalen Warley, the only Virginia player to take advantage of that opportunity , has reportedly set up an official visit to Gonzaga, along with recruiting trips to Iowa State and Texas A&M, since putting his name in the transfer portal on Oct. 29.
Warley revealed to CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein Monday the three schools he intends to visit but did not indicate when he plans to take each trip.
The 6-foot-7 guard transferred to Virginia to play for Bennett this offseason after spending three seasons at Florida State.
During his time at Florida State, Warley overlapped with R-Jay Barsh, the second-year Gonzaga assistant who spent one season on Leonard Hamilton's staff in 2022-23.
Bennett, the former Washington State coach who spent the past 15 seasons at Virginia, stunned the college basketball world when he stepped down from his position and announced plans to retire on Oct. 18, just 15 days before the opening day of the season.
Warley averaged a career-high 7.5 points to go with 2.8 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 1.3 steals while starting in 32 of 33 games for Florida State last season. The veteran guard, who's known for his abilities on the defensive end of the floor, shot 42% from the field and 14% from the 3-point line, although on limited attempts from beyond the arc.
He averaged 6.8 points and 2.9 rebounds while starting in 21 of 32 games as a sophomore, and averaged 3.7 points to go with 1.9 rebounds starting in five of the 31 games he played as a freshman.
Warley, who wouldn't play this season and would return in 2025-26 with one year of eligibility remaining, could fill a need for Gonzaga, which is expected to lose all five starters along with senior wing Michael Ajayi, who came off the bench in the team's first two games against Baylor and Arizona State.
A Philadelphia native, Warley was considered a four-star recruit and the nation's third-rated combo guard coming out of Westtown School. He chose Florida State over offers from Clemson, Creighton, Louisville, Marquette, Maryland, Memphis, Miami, Michigan, Oregon, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Seton Hall, Virginia and Xavier.
