Vee Sanford

Note:  This is part of an ongoing series previewing the 2009-10 Hoyas.

Veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!! Sanford joins Hollis Thompson in ensuring that this year’s freshman class features the baddest-sounding names in the nation.

This Lexington, Kentucky native meausres 6’3″ and 185 lbs., and he’ll be looking for minutes at shooting guard.  Vee committed to Georgetown in April 2009, turning down offers from Baylor, Iowa, and a dozen or so other schools.   Vee was also being watched by now-ousted Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie, himself the fodder for many a joke.

Scouting reports tout Vee’s long-range stroke, but he’s also clearly comfortable off the bounce, putting on an impressive display of short- and mid-range touch, and even throwing down on occasion.  He filled up the box score his senior year, averaging 22.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 2.4 assists.  In a limited appearance at the Kenner League this summer, he showed his long-range aptitude and flashes as a distributor.

Less heralded than fellow frosh Hollis Thompson, Vee arrives to find limited playing time, at least initially.  If Coach Thompson decides to go with a three-guard approach starting lineup, Sanford will be the first (and only) guard off the pine.  However, Sanford is clearly the fourth and least experienced guard, and may have a tough time finding minutes behind the more experienced Austin Freeman and Chris Wright and the promising Jason Clark.  Assuming that Freeman splits the small forward minutes, that he and Wright each log north of 30 minutes per game, and that Clark gets a bump up to 25 to 30 minutes per, Sanford will be left with 10 minutes.

Where Vee may be able to carve his niche is from beyond the arc.  Despite running an offense predicated in part on the three-pointer, the Hoyas made just one of three from deep last year.  Vee has a stroke that at least one scout compared favorably to that of Ray Allen.  Ultimately, Vee will likely find himself in a limited role this year, but may become the designated sniper.