No moment is too big, and no individual play is too small for 6-foot-4 VCU freshman guard Brandon Jennings.
Last season, Jennings was often the last consistent man off the bench for the guard-heavy Rams, meaning he sometimes had trouble putting up any eye-popping stats.
Jennings finished his freshman year averaging 2.7 points, 2.3 rebounds, 0.8 assists and 0.5 steals in 13 minutes a game while shooting 39% from 3. However, VCU felt his impact whenever he stepped foot on the court.
VCU knew they could rely on Jennings when the lights were at their brightest.
In the Rams’ Atlantic 10 Tournament quarterfinal matchup against St. Bonaventure, Jennings acted as the spark plug off the bench early in the game.
VCU struggled through an early shooting slump before Jennings ignited the offense with a career-high 12 points on perfect shooting from 3, helping guide the Rams past the Bonnies.
Jennings always contributed even when it didn’t necessarily reflect on the stat sheet. He always delivered anytime he had to guard a top offensive player off the bench. He also gave 100% every time he touched the court, often playing with a maturity not seen in many freshmen.
Jennings credits his impact to his instincts and IQ on the court.
“I’ve played a lot of basketball, and just the natural flow of the game I feel like I tend to make a lot of good reads,” Jennings said. “The instincts and defense, they go hand and hand so that definitely helps me out.”
VCU’s season ended after falling 80-71 to No. 6 BYU in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Two days after the loss, former head coach Ryan Odom accepted the coaching job at UVA, and following that, a plethora of VCU players entered into the portal, with one of the key names being Jennings.
Jennings was a sought-after name in the portal, reportedly receiving interest from a wide variety of mid-major programs and a handful of ACC programs, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
Power Four schools, like Boston College and UVA, considered Jennings. However, after mulling over his options, he decided the best place for him was back at VCU.
Jennings shared that developing a relationship with the new coaching staff, featuring Phil Martelli Jr., played a large part in his decision to return.
“He’s a player’s coach, so it’s easy to talk to him and just be able to connect with him,” Jennings said. “That, with the style of play, just all factored in my decision for sure.”
The Richmond community also played a role in his return, with the local fanbase often rallying behind Jennings because of his hometown status.
“They’re amazing, the support they show me and this whole program is just, it’s different,” Jennings said. “I’m grateful for the community here for sure.”
Now that Jennings is returning to VCU, he wants to build on the winning tradition the Rams carry with pride. With the next season looming and Jennings looking to play a more important role in the team, contributing to that will be a great experience, according to Jennings.
Jennings is confident the Rams can run it back in the A-10 in 2025-26 under Martelli Jr.
“The work we started putting in this off-season and the guys we’re trying to get in, I definitely think we will get it done,” Jennings said emphatically.
