In software, version 2.0 of a program is not a copy of version 1.0; it is not identical. Version 2.0 is the next generation – an improvement. It is the program with new features, but it is still the same basic program designed to perform the same functions. Calling Francisco Caffaro “Jack Salt 2.0” is not to say that his game is the same as Jack’s. It is to say that he fills the same role on the team, the same function, but has some additional skills.

Caffaro is this generation’s “bull in a China shop.” He’s a big, strong man whose primary function is to get in the way of smaller opposing players and impede them from getting where they want to go. Jack learned to do it exceedingly well. Francisco is in the early stages of that learning. “Big Papi” as he is called brings a new feature: scoring ability. While Jack actually had decent touch near the basket and could pull off a surprisingly agile move now and then, his offensive instincts were non-existent and he was always deferential in the offense. Caffaro has scoring instincts and aggressiveness Salt never had. Papi has the potential to drop 20 on a team and foul out their big man.

After coming to UVA from the NBA Academy in Australia and redshirting his first year, the big Argentine saw spot duty in 20 games and showed some flashes, with his best games predictably being against UNC with Armando Bacot and Garrison Brooks, and NC State with DJ Funderburk, big men who needed to be bodied. Papi dropped 10 on the Heels at the JPJ in 21 minutes, also firing up the crowd on more than one occasion with his hustle. In a losing effort against State, Caffaro was effective as the Hoos mounted a futile comeback and finished with 6 points in 10 minutes. When the Hoos traveled down to Chapel Hell, Caffaro had his second most minutes with 18 and chipped in 4 points on perfect shooting (including 2-2 from the free throw line) and a block. Unsurprisingly, he played little role against teams with small posts, and his minutes overall were sparse.

Now that Mamadi Diakite and Braxton Key have graduated, a new opportunity awaits Caffaro. Jay Huff and Sam Hauser are the clear starters in the post, but the backup positions are wide open. Given Coach Bennett’s preference for a big body that obliterates guards and obstructs traffic, Big Papi has to be in the mix for a major role this year.

What He Brings

Francisco Caffaro is 7-feet, 250-pounds of energy and attitude. He will happily stick his elbow in your ear or throw his body on the floor. In that way he brings what Salt did, an intimidating eagerness. He likely will again be the only player in the rotation suited for banging with big-butted postmen. When you need to root a post out of the lane and shove it a few feet away, Big Papi is your man. He also brings those concussion-inducing picks that turned Salt into a video star.

But this is the 2.0 model, remember? That’s not all he brings. Unlike when Salt caught the ball and you covered all his passing options first, When Caffaro gets it, his intent is immediately to go to the hoop. He’s good at getting there and he’s pretty good at putting the ball through it when he does. He has good footwork and a decent touch on a variety of post moves. He also gets to the free throw line a lot. He shot more free throws than three players who logged more than 4x the minutes he did, putting up 15 prayers – 10 of which were answered – against 17 field goal attempts.

This ability and inclination to be an offensive threat in the post can improve the effectiveness of his pindown screens in the Sides offense as you can’t just focus all your efforts on covering the mover flashing off the screen. Switching can put a 180-pound Raggedy Andy doll in the path of a bulldozer and shading with the big man can give Caffaro a free lane to the basket. It also makes him a good partner to Huff in a high-low game, forcing opposing coaches to make tough decisions on how to deploy their bigs.

On defense, the Huff-Caffaro partnership means that bringing your five up top for high ball screens doesn’t leave the rim unprotected. Take Huff out there and Caffaro can gum up the works long enough for the Hoonicorn to get back into the play.

What I Would Like to See More

Defensive Rebounds. Statistics can be misleading when minutes are limited, but Francisco’s 11.0% Defensive Rebounding Rate matches observation on video breakdown. If he’s going to play major minutes, he needs to out-rebound the smallest guy on the floor. His offensive rebounding was fine, with his 8.7% rate being second on the team behind Huff’s 10.0.

Made baskets. If he’s going to be getting all his shots within six feet of the basket, he should make more than 52.9% of them. If posting up is going to be his thing – and it is – you would like to see him considerably higher than 28% among Division I players. His 0.692 PPP efficiency on post plays needs to improve.

What I Would Like to See Less

Fouls. As with every first year big man under Tony Bennett, Caffaro fouled too much. His 6.3 FC/40 was entirely consistent with first-year Virginia bigs, and needs to come down if he is going to be a big part of the rotation. Judging from the history of Bennett’s bigs, it will.

Francisco on the floor. This has nothing to do with any dislike of Caffaro or how he plays, it’s just my philosophical preference for smaller, more mobile and explosive post players. I was not one of those fans wishing Pete Gillen could recruit “a true five” so Travis Watson could “go back to his natural position.” I thought he belonged right where he was. Philosophically, I’d rather see a lot of Kadin Shedrick and Justin McKoy, two players who are far more mobile and have much more range. Better yet, I’d love to see a lot of Sam Hauser and four guards. For what he is and what Tony wants, Caffaro is fine and he will probably be the third big and do a good job of it.

Expected Role

Ok, so the last sentence was a spoiler. I expect Francisco to be the third big, mostly coming in for Huff. I don’t expect big minutes, but a steady 10-15. We will only see the two 7-footers at the same time when we play a team like the traditional Roy Williams teams or when things are not going well against a smaller team and Tony decides he just has to throw a knuckleball.

When in the game, Caffaro will be expected to give what Jack Salt did – but more. Don’t expect him to be setting a lot of high screens. When Caffaro is in, Hauser will go to the perimeter, or we’ll have a wing at the four. Francisco will be given the role of controlling the paint and keeping the opposing big off the boards. Depending on how the defenses react, he should have more than one 10-point game. I don’t think this year’s team is going to allow opponents to just clog the paint.

Final Analysis

On a team with Diakite, Huff and Key, Francisco had a good first year. He showed what he could do in flashes, and he gained some valuable experience. With Huff the only experienced true big returning, the court is wide open for Caffaro to get regular meaningful minutes.