When the horn sounded 13 months ago on a Saturday night in March of 2024 in Columbus, Ohio, Virginia Tech men's basketball season came to an end in the second round of the NIT with a loss to Ohio State. Little did fans know what was coming in the coming days and weeks.
What came was a mass exodus out of Blacksburg in the transfer portal with a lot of key players with eligibility remaining hitting the open market to find a new home for the 2024-25 season. Sean Pedulla, MJ Collins, Lynn Kidd and Tyler Nickel were some of the big names to exit stage right for greener pastures, or so they thought. Mylyjael Poteat entered the portal, but a few days later, he announced he was returning to Blacksburg for his final season of basketball.
Another player who spent a majority of time on the bench that season, John Camden, hit the portal and found a new home in the CAA with the Delaware Blue Hens. After a monster season, he once again hit the portal to find a fourth college home, which he found back in the ACC.
Former Virginia Tech forward John Camden commits to ACC school in the transfer portal
Camden spent two years with the Hokies after coming over from Memphis, and in 2022-23, he played in 23 games, averaging eight minutes a night and just 1.3 points per game. The next year, he played in 14 games and saw his playing time drop nearly in half to 4.4 minutes a game and averaged 1.9 points a game. All of that changed this year with Delaware.
In one season with the Blue Hens, he played in all 36 games, averaging 34 minutes a night and 16.8 points a game. He grabbed 5.8 rebounds and dished out 2.1 assists a game while shooting 47% from the field and 41.6% beyond the arc. All of that got him a lot of interest in the transfer portal, and he'll be back in the ACC next season after committing to California.
NEWS: Delaware transfer John Camden has committed to California, his agent Scott Nichols of Rize Management told ESPN. Second-team All-CAA selection averaged 16.8 points, 5.5 rebounds and shot 41.6% from 3-point range. Hit 30+ four times, including 35 vs. St. John’s. pic.twitter.com/n0Jyi3OErP
— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) April 13, 2025
The Downington, Pa. native joins a Bears team that split the two games this season with the Hokies. Virginia Tech won the regular season matchup on the road before the Bears won the game that mattered in the first round of the ACC Tournament last month in Charlotte. Next season, Camden and Cal will visit Blacksburg in the regular season for a homecoming.