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Cheer up, Hoos...there are just FIVE days left until basketball season. Now, you can say “THIS Friday, Virginia plays UNC-Greensboro”! Up to this point in the countdown, we’ve looked at the entire incoming first year class, except guard Kyle Guy. If it seems like you’ve heard about Guy forever now, it’s probably because he was the first commit of the class, and has been very vocal (and enthusiastic) in his support and excitement for coming to UVA. Guy committed to Bennett and the Wahoos on October 20, 2014, and even helped recruit some of his now-teammates to the cause.
Guy averaged 23.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.7 assists in his senior season at Lawrence Central HIgh School. He earned a litany of awards and honors in high school, including being named Mr. Basketball for Indiana and making the McDonald’s All-America Game. Guy is Virginia’s first “burger boy” since Sylven Landesberg in 2008, if you can believe it. In addition to playing in the All-America game, Guy participated in the Powerade Jamfest 3-point contest - finishing second - and made the finals in the dunk competition.
After committing early, Guy continued to perform well on the court. As a result, he skyrocketed up the recruiting boards. In ESPN’s Top 100, Guy finished as a five-star, ranked 27th overall and was a big factor in Virginia scoring the No. 4 ranked recruiting class. He is deceptively athletic with big hops and the ability to go hard to the rim and finish strong. His three point shot is his bread and butter, and he his combination of height and smooth release is a thing of beauty (and eerily reminiscent of Joe Harris at times). In the Pepsi Blue-White scrimmage, Guy curled off of a screen, stopped on a dime, and let loose a gorgeous shot, one that Virginia fans would love to see a lot this season.
As it is with all new-comers to the Tony Bennett system of defense, Guy’s playing time will be predicated on his ability to pick up the intricacies of the Pack Line. Rumors out of the oh-so-secret scrimmage against VCU indicated that Guy played very well and had a hot shooting hand, something Virginia will need following the departure of Malcolm Brogdon and Anthony Gill (maybe you’ve heard of them). Although I don’t anticipate Guy starting until maybe the ACC season, he will be big off the bench. He fits in at the two or the three with his versatility, athleticism, and range, although his ball handling skills were strong during the Pepsi Blue-White scrimmage. Guy appears to demonstrate good decision making as it applies to knowing when to pass, drive, or shoot.
Off the court, Guy exudes a personality that is confident, cool, and infectious. He is very active on social media (Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat), and plays with a level of - and I hate to use this word - swag. Currently rocking the somewhat questionable man bun, Guy genuinely seems to enjoy being a Cavalier (who wouldn’t, amirite?). His flare on the court probably won’t be very popular at opposing ACC venues, but he promises not to go too far during this Q&A with the Daily Progress:
DP: You don’t want to become the next Grayson Allen, though, right?
KG: No, I’m not going to trip anybody. Don’t worry.
This is going to be fun.
The Stats:
Position: Guard
Height: 6-3
Weight: 165
Instagram: kingwavy5
Fun Fact: Has a brother named Bennett! It was meant to be...