On Monday evening, Virginia Tech forward Keve Aluma announced he is entering the NBA Draft and signing with an agent.
https://twitter.com/AlumaKeve/status/1518703429144793098?s=20&t=iCzDdK8pV_wj6KU7KNg2Pw
The 6-9, 235-pounder from Berlin, Md. averaged 15.8 points and 6.5 rebounds per game in 2021-22. He shot 33% from behind the arc, 54% from the floor and was a Second Team All-ACC honoree. On top of that, Aluma made the ACC All-Tournament First Team and the All-ACC Academic Team.
Aluma increased his scoring from 15.2 points per game in 2020-21, but he averaged more rebounds (7.9) that season. He earned Second Team All-ACC honors that year, too, after transferring from Wofford. Aluma sat out in 2019-20 after venturing from Spartanburg with Mike Young.
He started all 58 games in Blacksburg and helped the Hokies win the 2022 ACC Tournament in Brooklyn in March. In early April, Aluma participated in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament (P.I.T) and was named to the All-Tournament Team.
NCAA-Certified Agents
Though it's unlikely, there is a scenario that is worth mentioning. Aluma can sign with a "NCAA-certified agent," which gives him the option to return to school. Created in 2019, it's a rule that is often forgotten about when it comes to the NBA Draft. Here's a good article that explains the ins and outs, and what a certified agent means.
If Aluma signs with an agent not on the "list," he forgoes his collegiate eligibility. With the statement he put out, it seems highly unlikely that he would end up returning to Virginia Tech. However, there is always the unexpected circumstance.
Theoretically, if Aluma signed with a "certified" agent, he would have to announce he is returning before the June 1 deadline. It's also important to note that he is 23 years old and will turn 24 in December, and if in college, he would be playing against 18-to-22-year-olds. Aluma tested the waters last year, venturing to summer camps to get feedback from scouts, so he likely has a solid grasp of where he stands.
Virginia Tech's Scholarship Outlook
What does the scholarship outlook look like now with Aluma's decision to play professionally? Here's a snapshot.
*Editor's note: This section was updated after John Camden's commitment at 7 p.m. on Monday, April 25.*
Counting Mutts, the Hokies currently have 11 scholarship players for the 2022-23 season. With Aluma's decision to leave, combined with Nahiem Alleyne and John Ojiako deciding to transfer, Virginia Tech has two open scholarships.
Young & Co. had three official visitors over the weekend: Efton Reid (LSU transfer, 7-0, 238), John Camden (Memphis transfer, 6-8, 208) and Tyrell Ward (DeMatha Catholic, 6-7, 185).
As of 7 p.m. on Monday, Camden committed to the Hokies. Click here for the full story on the commitment.
Ward will make a decision on Saturday, April 30 and is between Georgetown, LSU and the Hokies. While that process is more up in the air, the paths for Reid seems more clear-cut. From Tech Sideline's understanding, the Hokies are high on Reid and feel confident they can - and will - close the deal.