A major step in the right direction was taken for Virginia basketball with the hiring of Ryan Odom last offseason. Renowned in college basketball for leading that historic upset over top-seeded Virginia in 2018, he had found success at several D1 schools and earned his way to the Cavaliers’ job. He inherited a team coming off a bit of a lame season after the preseason retirement of Tony Bennett but wasted no time trying to live in that shadow.
Odom’s first campaign in Charlottesville was a really good one, leading Virginia to a 30-6 mark, a 2nd place finish in the ACC, and a trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The ACC had not been in a great place in recent years but the Cavaliers were a major factor in a more competitive and intriguing conference race, though Odom and company have their sights set on deeper Tournament runs.
Tons of returning talent
What stands out here is the amount of returning talent on a 30-win squad, as the Cavaliers will bring back four of their top six scorers from last season. Yes, Ugonna Onyenso was taken in the NBA Draft while veteran guards Malik Thomas and Jacari White saw their careers end, but this coaching staff has added more than enough talent into the mix and should get contributions from plenty of new faces.
The actual play on the court will tell us the story of Virginia basketball this season, though there’s plenty of reason for excitement. It’s not just what they return or add but the potential to be a real national contender really early in Odom’s tenure. He’s wasted no time turning Virginia back into an ACC power but does this crew keep that momentum rising?
Projected Starters
Guard – Chance Mallory (Sophomore)
Last year was a great start for Mallory, a 5-10 guard from right here in Charlottesville who was considered a Top 60 recruit. He wasn’t a starter in that senior-laden backcourt, but still averaged 9.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 3.4 assists off the bench. There’s much more to come from Mallory especially in a significantly bigger role running the point in year two of his college career.
Guard – Jurian Dixon (Junior)
His work in the Big West was impressive as an underclassman, but Dixon is hoping for a smooth transition from UC Irvine to Virginia. The two-year starter for the Anteaters put up 15.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game last year while making nearly 39% of his 3-point attempts. He’s a great scorer at every level and has the potential to become a top-notch defender as well.
Guard – Sam Lewis (Senior)
A returning starter from last season, Lewis played a pair of seasons in the MAC at Toledo before joining Odom’s new squad last year. He averaged 10.6 points and 3.6 rebounds and has the potential to do even more in his senior year. This impressive talent from Chicago has made nearly 42% of his 3-pointers in his career and the Cavaliers are hoping for another lights out campaign.
Forward – Thijs De Ridder (Sophomore)
You won’t find too many complaints about De Ridder’s debut with the Cavaliers, as the 6-9 forward from Belgium jumped right into a major role. He was named First Team All-ACC while contributing 15.6 points and 6.2 rebounds as a staple in this frontcourt. He’s a powerful athlete with great size who can also hit outside shots and should be an even more reliable weapon heading into season number two.
Center – Johann Grunloh (Sophomore)
Continuing with the flavor of returning starters, Grunloh is back as a sophomore after great strides as Virginia’s starting center last year. The 7-footer from Germany averaged 7.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game, playing a major role around the rim in the Cavaliers’ defense. Expect even more impressive work in the paint while his fluidity and movement for his size cannot be ignored or overlooked.
Key Reserves
Guard – Christian Harmon (Senior)
Another notable transfer addition to this backcourt, Harmon spent a pair of seasons at the junior college level before putting in good work at Arkansas State last year. The 6-6 guard from New York put up 12.8 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.5 assists as a starter for the Red Wolves and is largely known for his sharpshooting potential fresh off a Third Team All-Sun Belt campaign.
Forward – Kalu Anya (Senior)
A new depth piece in the frontcourt, Anya transfers in after a pair of seasons at Brown and a single year with Saint Louis. He did very solid work in the Ivy League before becoming a starter on the Billiken’s breakthrough season, averaging 6.5 points and 7.5 rebounds a night. Anya’s fresh off his best season as an interior scorer and provides experience in a frontcourt full of new or young pieces.
Guard – Elijah Gertrude (Senior)
He hasn’t lived up to his Top 60 billing when he came to Charlottesville in 2023, but Gertrude is still a great talent who has a chance to breakout. He’s played sparingly in two seasons and missed his entire sophomore year with a knee injury. There wasn’t much to see last year, putting up just 1.7 points and 0.8 rebounds per game but the Cavaliers are still excited about the raw potential and hope it can be realized.
Forward – Nolan Adekunle (Senior)
A 24-year old forward from Germany who’s already been ruled eligible, Adekunle becomes quite the intriguing addition for the Cavaliers, who’ll certainly find a role for him. He’s known for his long-range shooting and aggressiveness, with Virginia loving both of those attributes. It’s his first taste of college basketball, though he’s clearly been around quite a while and could become quite the sharpshooter in Charlottesville.
Center – Favour Ibe (Freshman)
There really wasn’t much worth mentioning in this freshmen class besides Ibe, but he’s a worthy prospect and another young piece in this frontcourt. A 7-1 center out of Maryland, he’s a 3-star recruit with impressive potential on both ends of the court. Virginia will love his resolve on defense while he’s shown he can put the ball in the basket both at and around the rim.
A 6-6 guard out of Slovenia, Vide didn’t have a huge role as a freshman at UCLA but played more these last two seasons at Loyola Marymount. As a starter for the Lions last year, he was good for 12.1 points and 4.0 assists and has developed into quite the playmaker and facilitator. We’ll see how that translates at a power conference program, but he’s a solid veteran addition to a backcourt full of new faces.
Schedule Outlook
There are some early tune-ups on the schedule for the Cavaliers but also some November challenges. They’ll face a feisty Arkansas squad on November 8th in Washington DC for the Capital Showcase. Less than a week later they’re back in the area again for a true road test at Maryland. For Thanksgiving, Virginia takes their show to the Bahamas, getting matchups with Marquette and Xavier in the Battle 4 Atlantis.
The ACC/SEC Challenge kick starts their December, hosting a very talented Kentucky squad on the 2nd of the month. After a few more games at home, the final nonconference matchup comes on December 20 and it’s a real doozy, as Virginia will face UConn at Madison Square Garden right before Christmas break.
Great things are expected from the Cavaliers in ACC play but it’s a tricky start. They’re at Clemson on December 29th to kick things off and then head west to the California schools soon after. Road tests at Miami and North Carolina in mid-January won’t be easy and they also play Duke twice in February and early March. Their matchup with Louisville does come at home and there’s always excitement when playing rival Virginia Tech.
Season Outlook
As preseason rankings continue coming out before the season you’ll continue to see Virginia mentioned pretty highly on some of those lists. Returning three starters and promoting a fourth from last year’s squad is incredible continuity, but it’s not just about bringing people back. There’s ridiculous raw talent in this lineup as was evident last season and some of those pieces are a bit older and ready to compete again.
The new pieces come in the backcourt and that’s where it’s important that Virginia gets things right. Luckily for them, Mallory had an incredible freshman campaign and is only expected to take a monster step forward now running the show as the starter. Beside him, both Dixon and Harmon should get significant minutes after transferring into the program while Vide could see significant run as well.
It’s the status quo for the rest of the starting lineup and there’s few complaints to be had. De Ridder was one of the best forwards in the ACC last season and should be even better in year two, while Grunloh did impressive work on both ends at the 5. Things get interesting behind them, with Anya’s experience, Adekunle’s shooting ability, and Ibe’s raw potential.
The players still have to play at a high level but Virginia looks like the real deal heading into the season. Odom has done a marvelous job not only bringing impressive players into town but retaining so much of that winning lineup and putting them in a position for success. Anything could happen with the Cavaliers, but keep in mind that last year’s first round win was the program’s first since their national title in 2026. This year’s squad is hoping to make another deep run.
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