When Tony Bennett suddenly announced his retirement, 20 days before the college basketball season was set to begin, fans wondered if the Virginia basketball program would lose anyone to the transfer portal.
It took close to two weeks, but eventually word got out that 6’6 guard Jalen Warley, who joined the team from Florida State via the portal, was planning to enter the portal once again.
Because of the timing, Warley will redshirt this season while remaining a student at Virginia, opting to instead look for a new school for his final season of eligibility in the 2025-26 season.
Warley appeared in 96 games across three seasons with the Seminoles, making 58 starts and averaging 23.8 minutes per game. He averaged 7.5 points, 2.8 assists, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.3 steals as a junior in 2023-24.
Warley revealed to Jon Rothstein of CBS he has three programs he plans to visit, all who make perfect sense for the rangy wing as an option in 2025-26.
First up is Gonzaga, who will lose its entire backcourt to graduation at the end of this season. Ryan Nembhard, Nolan Hickman, Khalif Battle, Michael Ajayi, and Ben Gregg are all out of eligibility, leaving Mark Few’s team with a very unproven roster in 2025-26 highlighted by junior Dusty Stromer, incoming freshman Davis Fogle, and junior Emmanuel Innocenti who is not in the rotation this year.
Adding Warley would give Few a strong defensive presence and veteran to lean on, and considering Gonzaga’s track record of success with transfers it is a program anyone should consider when looking for a final place to play.
Next is Iowa State, another veteran-laden team that is set to undergo a big roster overhaul in 2025-26. Guards Keshon Gilbert and Curtis Jones will both be out of eligibility after this season, and it’s possible Tamin Lipsey, Milan Momcilovic, and senior Nate Heise are out the door as well.
T.J. Otzelberger’s club is tenacious and physical on the defensive end of the floor, a perfect fit for Warley’s skill set for his final season.
Last but not least is Buzz Williams’ Texas A&M squad, who will see star guard Wade Taylor IV depart after this year, along with star forward Henry Coleman III, SMU transfer Zhuric Phelps, and key depth pieces Manny Obaseki and Hayden Hefner.
The Aggies could open up Warley on the offensive side of the ball, while utilizing his size and length in the SEC.
It’s unclear if Warley is considering any other schools for his final season or not, but any of these three programs make sense for the 6’6 guard to finish his decorated college career.