Wichita State basketball transfer Chaunce Jenkins lands at Old Dominion
Former Wichita State guard Chaunce Jenkins has found a new home through the transfer portal.
The dynamic 6-foot-4 guard committed Friday to Old Dominion, where he will have three years of eligibility remaining and be a sophomore for the 2022-23 season. The Monarchs, coached by Jeff Jones, finished with a 13-19 record this past season.
After essentially taking a redshirt season during the pandemic-altered season in 2020-21, Jenkins never could find consistent minutes in WSU coach Isaac Brown’s rotation his second season with the team. Jenkins averaged 2.2 points and less than a rebound, assist, steal and block in 7.5 minutes per game, seeing action in 19 of 28 games while battling a knee injury early in the season.
But with such few back-up minutes at shooting guard to go around behind Tyson Etienne, Jenkins never did crack the rotation under Brown, who was his lead recruiter out of Menchville High in Newport News, Va. His offer list also included Robert Morris, VMI and Hampton.
He was best-known in high school for the viral dunk his senior season at Menchville and that dynamic athleticism made him one of the most entertaining players in WSU’s pre-game dunk line. That kind of athleticism combined with a 6-4 frame should make him an intriguing prospect in the portal.
“Jenkins was honestly one of my favorite prospects still available this spring,” Rivals recruiting analyst Corey Evans told The Eagle at the time of his commitment. “If he would have played in the Nike circuit next month, it would have made it extra difficult for Wichita State. He was going to blow up.
“He’s a super-talented, giant guard that can make shots, handle in a pinch, but most of all is an athlete. I think he can be a star at the next level. He needs more time to refine his game, but the talent and upside is evident.”
The best performance in his brief WSU career came in the game he received the most playing time, scoring a career-high 11 points with three blocks while playing 25 minutes in WSU’s 102-66 win over Prairie View A&M on Dec. 22. Jenkins hit a deep three-pointer in his first minute on the court, then he delivered a highlight-reel dunk after breaking down a defender and pulling himself up on the rim.
“I’m so excited for that kid,” Brown said about Jenkins after the performance. “We continued to tell him to trust the process. You’re playing behind Tyson Etienne, one of the best players in the country. When you get your opportunity, you have to come in and be ready to play. I thought he did a tremendous job of that.”
Jenkins didn’t play consistent enough minutes to discover too much else about his game, as he would usually only play for one or two spurts when conference play rolled around. He seemed like a capable defender when engaged and dangerous when using his athleticism to attack the basket, but he shot just 3 of 13 on three-pointers.
“I know I’m going to get a lot of pats on the back, but I’m not getting complacent,” Jenkins said after his breakout game in December. “I know this is just the beginning. I’m going to keep going.”
This story was originally published March 15, 2022 at 12:08 PM.
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