Shark Week! What if Virginia Cavaliers basketball players were sharks?

It is the middle of the summer, which means basketball season is still months away. But it also means that it is Shark Week! Hours of shark-filled entertainment this week got me thinking about what Virginia Cavaliers basketball players matched each type of shark profiled.

Kihei Clark - Hammerhead Shark - The hammerhead has a uniquely designed head which helps their range of vision, perfect for a point guard.

Barry Peters - Flickr

Braxton Key - Thresher Shark - Has a really cool tail that is used as a weapon, but have you actually seen it before?

Thomas Alexander

Francesco Badocchi, Jayden Nixon, Austin Katstra, Francisco Caffaro, Kody Stattmann - Ghost Sharks - Rarely seen sharks that live in deep uncharted territories, but coming more into the light now.

Linda Snook - MBNMS

Marco Anthony - Sand Tiger Shark - Big, bulky and dangerous.

Jeff Kubina - Flickr

Jay Huff - Whale Shark - Despite being the biggest shark in the world, since it only eats plankton, it is not a threat. Also rarely seen.

Abe Khao Lak

Mamadi Diakite - Mako Shark - The lean, fast, mako shark has been known to make incredible leaps out of the water.

Mark Conlin, SWFSC Large Pelagics Program

Ty Jerome - Oceanic Whitetip Shark - The oceanic whitetip shark has long range and is sneaky deadly. Just like Jerome can put up 30 points in a game, the whitetip is known to feast on shipwrecks like the USS Indianapolis.

OldakQuill

Jack Salt - Bull Shark - UVA’s rim protector and screen setter is the perfect match for the bull shark, which is the most aggressive and unpredictable of all the sharks.

Pterantula

De’Andre Hunter - Tiger Shark - The tiger shark is just as deadly as the great white, but not as famous. They have also adapted to swimming in fresh water making them dangerous on two different levels, just like possible first round NBA pick Hunter.

Albert Kok

Kyle Guy - Great White Shark - The most famous and notorious of all sharks. Just as Guy gets a lot of attention due to being UVA’s leading scorer and an AP All-American last year, the great white shark is the star of Jaws and Shark Week.

Terry Goss