Nick from WZBC on the TJ Power Situation

By Nick Petralia

Sadly, it’s official. TJ Power, the former five-star recruit out of Worcester Academy and four-star transfer from Duke is not coming to Chestnut Hill. Instead, he will be heading to another ACC rival, Virginia.

This news surprised many Boston College fans who full-heartedly believed he would be coming home to be an Eagle this fall. Power wasn’t guaranteed to become the savior for a basketball program that desperately needs one, only averaging 2.1 points on 33% shooting in limited minutes during his freshman year in Durham. However, his commitment would have given hope to a team that looks in shambles. Earl Grant’s NIT team from last season lost seven players this offseason, including 6 to the transfer portal. Six of the seven players who left this offseason started several games for the Eagles in their most successful season under coach Grant.

The transfer portal has created a new landscape in college basketball. Mass transfers are becoming more the norm than the anomaly.

Portal players like Chad Venning and Dion Brown will have to step into bigger roles than they might expect from mid-major programs. As for the freshmen coming in, I am unsure how much playing time they will receive, as all of BC’s depth is guards. However, it does seem like they will also get more burn than expected. Ultimately, this grand disappointment has me thinking a couple of thoughts.

What is wrong with Boston College basketball? Six guys transfer, and the program only gets three back to replace them? Is it an Earl Grant thing, or is it a BC thing? Watching all these guys transfer and Power being 100% crystalballed to BC hurts a ton as a fan. After all this disappointment in BC basketball, things like this have become commonplace for the Eagles.

It’s time for the program to look at itself in the mirror. Now, there is time to pick more guys for next season, but the portal runs drier with impact players as the days go on. Earl has to pick up some forwards sooner rather than later, or else this team will be in trouble next year. We’re looking at a season filled with a lot of uncertainty. But maybe that’s kinda fun, right? When the expectations are low, I believe Earl is at his best. Hopefully, that gritty identity can help a team that, on paper, is on the lower end of the ACC.

Also, on another note. Misinformation is bad. Saying someone is 100% going to a school when a deal was not finished is journalism malpractice. Clicks are nice, but is being fast worth the ridicule of being wrong? In this case, I would say not. Now, people make mistakes. Things change, and life isn’t constant. But going from 100% one day to 0% the next seems impossible. I won’t say the fans aren’t at fault for getting themselves hyped up about a commitment before it happens, but I’m sure we’ll all be more careful next time.

This is why you should listen to Sports Saturday on WZBC Newton. I knew Power wasn’t coming after his visit. The guy is 100% coming to BC, but he doesn’t sign during his visit. It seemed fishy to me. I know not every guy commits after a visit, but in his case it felt like a sign.

Here's the clip: https://youtu.be/EOmo28yzz2k