Former Virginia Tech forward Landers Nolley transfers to Memphis

Not long after the 2019-20 season officially ended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Virginia Tech leading scorer Landers Nolley announced he was entering the transfer portal.

On the surface, it appeared to be a huge loss for a Virginia Tech team that showed some promise early in head coach Mike Young’s first season. Nolley had some big performances early, including in wins over Clemson and Michigan State back in November.

However, Nolley’s shooting was as issue throughout his redshirt freshman campaign. For the year, Nolley, who averaged 15.5 points per game, shot just 37 percent from the field, including a 31.6 percent clip from three-point range.

In ACC play, Nolley shot just 40 percent or better from the field just seven times in 21 games. And he took plenty of shots, too. Nolley was held under 10 shots in just five games.

There was also his father discussing the NBA during the middle of the season when Nolley was struggling.

Clearly, Nolley was nowhere near ready for the NBA yet. It was Tyrece Radford who was Tech’s top freshman in ACC play.

Well, Nolley has finally chosen his new school. On Monday, he announced he was transferring to the Memphis Tigers.

Memphis is a good fit for Nolley. The 6-foot-7 forward will likely get his wish to play more on the wing for Penny Hardaway and the Tigers.

The NCAA is expected to meet soon and pass a motion that would allow student-athletes who transfer a one-time exemption for immediate eligibility. If so, Nolley could play next season for Memphis. The Tigers are losing several players from a year ago.

Nolley clearly has talent and was one of the few highlights for Virginia Tech in Young’s first season. We certainly wish him nothing but the best in his future.