It didn’t take long for Marcus Santos-Silva to become an attractive target on the transfer market. The 6-foot-7, 250-pound Santos-Silva spent the last three seasons with VCU, two of them as a full-time starter. As a junior, Santos-Silva averaged 12.8 points, 8.9 rebounds, 1.3 blocks and 1.1 steals per game. Given his size, that’s a fairly diverse two-way impact.
A host of programs contacted Santos-Silva, including two from the ACC: Miami and Virginia Tech. (Earlier this month, he announced plans to test the 2020 NBA Draft waters.)
Arizona State, Georgia, UCONN, Siena, Miami, Illinois, Seton Hall, Washington State and Virginia Tech have reached out to VCU transfer @Marcus7345
The 6-foot-7 junior Averaged 12.8 ppg and 8.9 rpg. Was top 10 in EYBL for rebounding. https://t.co/vPoXmgdUxs
— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) April 22, 2020
In 97 career games, Santos-Silva has 21 performances of 10 or more rebounds. That includes a 22-rebound performance against Rhode Island last season. (That total was tied for the third most in a Division I game during the 2018-19 season.)
Santos-Silva is a monster rebounder. Santos-Silva finished the 2019-20 season ranked 36th nationally in defensive rebound rate (26 percent) and 75th in offensive rebound rate (12.2 percent).
This year, Santos-Silva shot 64 percent at the rim — with a healthy volume of attempts (205 FGA) — including 20 dunks. Santos-Silva has never attempted a 3-pointer in a college game.
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VCU 63, Richmond 47 — 12:00#ThisIsRamNation #LetsGoVCU pic.twitter.com/tIUiUCocy8
— VCU Basketball (@VCU_Hoops) January 29, 2020
The Hurricanes have a fairly congested frontcourt, led by Cincinnati transfer Nysier Brooks (eligibile this season). Miami has plenty of returning 4/5 pieces, too. Top-25 recruit Earl Timberlake joins the forward mix as well.
Virginia Tech already added some power to its frontcourt this offseason: Iowa transfer Cordell Pemsl (6-foot-9, 250 pounds). After redshirting last season, like Brooks at Miami, Wofford transfer Keve Aluma (6-foot-9, 240 pounds) joins the rotation as well. However, it still can’t hurt to kick the can on a prospect like Santos-Silva, who hails from Massachusetts.
As of Wednesday, Kentucky had yet to reach out to Santos-Silva; however, with the decision of Purdue transfer Matt Haarms to head west to BYU, Kentucky may have to look for other options.
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