No matter how well he’s played, Virginia center Mike Tobey’s performances seem to come with caveats. Praise of Tobey’s skill are often cut with mentions of the center’s faltering confidence, or of past issues he’s had with consistency or assertiveness. Anthony Gill offered an example after Tobey’s 15 points against Notre Dame, back on Jan. 2: “When his mind is right,” Gill said, “he can be a really effective player for the team and help us get to the next level.”
Such has been the story of Tobey’s career at U-Va. The seven-footer has always run up against high expectations because of his physicality, but his almost four years in Coach Tony Bennett’s system have been dotted with little issues that seem to keep him from reaching his full potential, despite being named the ACC’s sixth man of the year for 2014-2015.