Changing of the guard: A look at what's ahead in 2016-2017 for UVa

When UVa opens its basketball season in the late fall, the group that takes the floor will look significantly different from the one that just finished its run in the Elite 8.

It might be hard to imagine for some but the Wahoos will no longer have departing seniors Malcolm Brogdon, Anthony Gill, Mike Tobey, or Evan Nolte next season. And in their place will be not only an intriguing group of incoming first-years but two post players who will likely make significant contributions.

With Gill and Tobey having exhausted their eligibility, Tony Bennett and the Cavaliers will rely on Memphis transfer and former five-star recruit Austin Nichols in a big way. The 6-foot-9, 232-pound forward will be a central focus for the Hoos in 2016-2017. His ability to score inside and to protect the rim will be key, evident during his two seasons with the Tigers where he first was named the AAC's Rookie of the Year and then was on the AAC's All Conference first team last year. A former Gatorade Player of the Year, he was the No. 17 overall player in the Rivals150 in 2013.

The other player redshirting this past season that brings a lot of excitement to the table is former four-star forward Mamadi Diakite. Whereas Nichols came to Virginia having already played two years of college hoops, Diakite enrolled early following something akin to a phenom's rise at Blue Ridge School and on the camp circuit. A highly athletic forward with great length, the 6-foot-9 native of Guinea remains a bit of an unknown right now compared to what Bennett and Co. expect from Nichols. It'll be interesting to see how Diakite has adjusted to the pack-line defense as well as how he's matured physically by the time the opener comes around.

While Nichols will play big minutes right away, Virginia will likely ramp up Diakite's minutes gradually. But there's no question he's the most athletically gifted recruit Bennett has signed since arriving in Charlottesville and that Nichols is the highest-profile transfer.

Outside of those two redshirts, there are also reinforcements coming from the high school ranks, one of which is almost surely going to play heavy minutes right away.

In a strange coincidence, Kyle Guy is finishing up his prep career in the very city where UVa's season came to an end, as the four-star Rivals150 guard is taking part in practices for the McDonald's All-American Game this week. He finished second in the 3-point shootout and advanced to the final round of the event's dunk contest on Monday night, wowing the crowd and fans at home.

Guy averaged 23.5 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists per game for Lawrence Central (IN) this past season and had 28 points in the team's 59-50 loss to North Central in the Sectional 10 final. He is one of the top contenders for Mr. Basketball in Indiana and has already been named that state's Gatorade Player of the Year.

"He's a very talented player," Bennett told Cavalier Corner magazine in January. "I think he's a complete offensive player and he shoots it very, very well. He's also very competitive and wants to be a part of a winning program. I think that piece was very important to him."

Fellow four-star Rivals150 standout DeAndre Hunter may not have made the McDonald's game but he might have had an even better year in some ways. The 6-foot-7 wing averaged 23.5 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game as a senior this past season. He had 34 points along with 5 boards and 3 blocks when Friends Central advanced in the FSL semifinals and then had another 20 in the title game, a loss to Westtown. And even though he didn't play as a sophomore due to a broken tibia, he still finished with better than 1,600 points and 680 rebounds in his career.

"He's got great size at that perimeter wing position and he's another pretty complete offensive player," Bennett said of Hunter. "He's also just a humble guy that wants a chance to play at a very high level. Love his game and his attitude."

Four-star Rivals150 guard Ty Jerome and three-star forward Jay Huff bring a lot of talent to the table as well.

Jerome, a 6-foot-5 guard from New Rochelle (NY), moved up to No. 50 overall and was averaging 25 points per game before having to end his senior season prematurely due to a hip injury after just seven games. He's since had surgery on both hips and is hoping to return this summer. Still, he was selected to this year's Jordan Brand Classic Regional Game, though he wasn't able to participate.

"Terrific feel," Bennett said of Jerome. "He has a really great feel for the game and whatever team he is on, he knows how to make a difference and he's very competitive and he pushes hard to get the win. I really liked that about him."

Huff, meanwhile, was a double-double machine for Voyager Academy in Durham and finished as the school's all-time leading scorer on the way to a state championship, posting a triple-double (14 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 blocks) in the title game. The 6-foot-11 forward has range out beyond the 3-point line and presents an interesting mix of skills.

"He's a really intriguing player," Bennett said of Huff. "I think he's a got a really big upside. He's a very skilled player and he's got a feisty side to him that I really like. Even though he's a slender guy, he's a very skilled player and he's almost 7-foot and can really step out and shoot the 3 and block some shots, too. I think as he physically matures, he's what we like to call sneaky good."