College basketball’s most contentious transfer request finally has a resolution. Austin Nichols, a 6’9 junior forward who left Memphis earlier this month, is transferring to Virginia, according to ESPN’s Jeff Goodman.
Austin Nichols to transfer from Memphis to Virginia, per report
He’ll have two years of eligibility remaining.
Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports
Ricky O'Donnell has covered basketball at all levels for more than a decade at SB Nation. He’s currently the Associate Director of Programming.
Memphis initially denied Nichols’ transfer request in early July, but eventually relented with multiple stipulations. Virginia was among the schools Nichols was banned from transferring to, but his family hired a lawyer and eventually Memphis dropped the stipulations. Nichols reportedly wanted to transfer to Virginia all along.
Nichols will have to sit out the 2015-16 season, then have two years of eligibility remaining. A former five-star recruit, Nichols averaged 13.3 points and 6.1 rebounds per game as a sophomore for Memphis last season.
Nichols will be expected to help carry Virginia’s offense following the graduation of Malcolm Brogdon, Mike Tobey and Anthony Gill, who will all be seniors in the 2015-16 season. Virginia finished 30-4 last year, falling to Michigan State in the round of 32.
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