UVa center Brandenburg transferring

Virginia big man John Brandenburg will never play for new coach Tony Bennett.

On Thursday evening, sources confirmed to The Daily Progress that the 6-foot-11 center is transferring.

Brandenburg and Bennett could not be reached for comment.

Brandenburg, who was recruited by former Virginia coach Dave Leitao, barely played as a freshman. He averaged just 1.0 points and 0.8 rebounds in eight games, averaging only 3.3 minutes.

However, the St. Louis native was a 4-star recruit coming out of DeSmet Jesuit High and was viewed as a player with a ton of potential.

After Leitao’s departure, it seemed as if Brandenburg might be one of the beneficiaries of the pick-and-pop based system employed by Bennett. In April, Brandenburg told The Daily Progress that he was looking forward to playing for Bennett.

“He said his three principles are transition defense, rebounding and a structure on offense,” Brandenburg said. “I think the one thing we kind of lacked in the last couple of years was a structure on offense. It really was kind of a do-it-yourself offense. This will be interesting to see the change.”

There is no word on where Brandenburg will

consider transferring. Coming out of high school, Brandenburg, a good student, selected Virginia over Stanford.

The most notable play of Brandenburg’s Cavalier career came in the waning minutes of an ugly loss at Clemson when he blocked the shot of the Tigers’ Demontez Stitt, then was hit with a technical foul for taunting Stitt.

“It wasn’t even English,” said Brandenburg, when asked what he had said to Stitt. “I was kind of frustrated with the way the game was going and just happy that something good had happened.”

With the loss of Brandenburg and the recently graduated Tunji Soroye, Virginia’s main option at center is sophomore Assane Sene; junior Mike Scott and senior Jerome Meyinsse, both a bit undersized for the “5” spot, could also see some time at the position.