Class of 2025 guard Denis talks recent offer from the Cavaliers
Following a breakout start to spring playing for Team CP3 on the Nike EYBL Circuit where he is currently averaging 14.1 points per game, class of 2025 guard Isaiah Denis recently picked up an offer from Virginia. And the North Carolina product is excited about that and other developments in his recruitment thus far.
“The start of summer has been really good,” Denis told CavsCorner last week. “I came out of the high school season with a state championship and after that I decided I was going to play for Team CP3. After the first EYBL session I had a really good weekend and a lot of people noticed and from there I really just stayed consistent.
“After the second session,” he added, “is when the high major schools really started to reach out more and more.”
Tony Bennett and the Wahoos were one of those whose interest turned into an offer last weekend.
“I had been speaking to Coach (Jason) Williford prior to them offering me and then Coach Bennett called me this past weekend and offered me,” the 6-foot-4 guard recalled, noting that UVa has known about him for quite some time.
“Last year during my first game on the EYBL circuit he saw me go 6-for-8 from downtown playing with TSF and he saw that because at the time he was recruiting Jacob Wilkins,” Denis explained. “When he called me, he remembered that he saw me during that game and Jacob’s brother, Isaiah Wilkins who is an assistant at Virginia, was watching that game too.
“After that game, they started to follow me a little and kept track of me,” he added. “They saw the progress that I made this past year and really feel like I can be a fit in their system. They think they can really help me develop and get me to the next level which is my ultimate goal.”
Denis knows that Virginia boasts not only a high-level basketball program but also a tremendous school overall.
“The name Virginia just speaks for itself,” he said. “You hear a lot of people talk about the school regardless of just basketball or sports wise. It has tremendous academics and is just a great school overall. They have had a lot of basketball success since Coach Bennett has been there and they are always one of the top teams in the ACC and seem to always make the NCAA Tournament.
“Coach Bennett has always had a lot of success as a head coach and is one of the best coaches not in just the ACC but the entire country so it really meant a lot to just get a call from them and them believing in me,” Denis added. “They also put guys in the NBA and again like I said, that is my ultimate goal.”
At this point in the process, Denis only has one official visit set but said he is working on setting up more trips both official and unofficial.
“Right now I have an official visit lined up to Ohio State on September 7th and I am working on scheduling one to Pitt and Florida,” he said. “I also have a few unofficial visits set to schools closer to me like Wake Forest, Tennessee and NC State. I am working on a few others right now too.”
