The scenario in which Coach Ryan Odom finds himself this fall is unique. A first-time Power Four head coach, Odom has found success at every stop, from UMBC to Utah State to VCU. But his newest post at Virginia is different in several ways — total roster and staff turnover mean that Odom is far from the only newcomer in Charlottesville.
“This one’s been a lot different,” Odom said during an offseason press conference Sept. 10. “We have a totally new collection of guys … from that perspective, it’s been more of a challenge.”
Indeed, the roster has turned over in unprecedented fashion. The Cavaliers held their first official practice Sept. 23, but those familiar with Virginia basketball might not have recognized the team they saw. Only three sophomores — guard Elijah Gertrude, forward Carter Lang and guard Desmond Roberts remain from last season’s roster. Neither of the first two played last season, Gertrude due to injury and Lang redshirting, and Roberts scored four points in five games. In essence, Odom has a roster full of players who have never played with one another.
To identify this roster’s strengths and weaknesses, Odom has let the players show him what they are made of. Over the summer, his approach allowed the players to play as they see fit and settle into roles over time.
“What we used this summer for this year was really just to not put them in a box,” Odom said. “I think if you begin to put them in roles right away, initially, and you come in with these preconceived notions of how you think they should play, you might miss something.”
While the players still settle into their roles, Odom has benefitted from some continuity with his coaching staff — Mike Curtis, the head strength and conditioning coach, and head athletic trainer Ethan Saliba have both been on the staff for extended periods. Odom also brought a large chunk of his coaching staff from VCU, including associate head coach Griff Aldrich, who Odom has known since the two coaches were 18 years old.
The marriage of the two groups, Odom said, has provided as smooth a transition as possible for the new coach. He has talked about how helpful it has been, while the coaching staff scrambled to recruit players in the transfer portal, to have not had to think about any coaching turnover. The staff, for him, is the foundation of everything else.
“We have to, as a staff, be the best example for the players,” Odom said. “When they see us work together in a really positive way … I really think it sets the tone for the guys and how they need to operate.”
Odom clearly seems optimistic about his coaching staff — that optimism is even more apparent when the coach discusses his roster. The group is bolstered by two European freshmen — center Johann Grünloh, from Germany’s RASTA Vechta, and forward Thijs De Ridder, from Spain’s Bilbao. The Cavaliers lack much precedent when it comes to European players with professional experience, so Grünloh and De Ridder understandably command attention. Grünloh, hailing from Loningen, Germany, had already committed to Virginia in April.
“First and foremost for Johann, I think he would tell you when he first got here, his physical fitness was being challenged,” Odom said. “He’s ready now, and his play is showing it. He’s really taken a massive jump from the summer.”
For De Ridder, the transition was made difficult by the NCAA transfer process. The 6-foot-9 Belgian’s eligibility was not cleared until mid-July, postponing his arrival in Charlottesville. De Ridder faced a similar physical learning curve as Grünloh, but Odom emphasized that he could play a major role for the Cavaliers this winter.
“[De Ridder] is a good player, and we need him to be that for us,” Odom said. “His last team, you know, he was more of the role guy and everybody, to a certain extent, has to play a specific role. But, you know, we certainly need him and expect him to step forward here at Virginia.”
With constant roster churn now a reality of life for most college programs, finding leaders can be a challenge. When asked about the leaders of this Virginia program, however, Odom had no trouble naming names. Alongside De Ridder, the coach named three graduate transfers — forward Devin Tillis, guard Dallin Hall and guard Malik Thomas.
Odom noted that De Ridder, Tillis, Hall and Thomas bring a blend of high-level experience, energy and discipline to the roster. Beyond those four, Odom emphasized the need for other players to step into leadership roles. If that happens this season, Virginia fans can thank the team’s summer book club.
“One of the things that we learned from the book that we read this summer in our book club, called ‘Legacy,’ is … everybody has to be a leader,” Odom said. “Leaders create leaders. Certainly, that’s something that we want to try to foster.”
Odom’s comments often contain traces of Bennett-esque wisdom, but his Virginia team will look very different from years past. One key difference is Odom’s emphasis on the full-court press, a strategy rarely implemented in Charlottesville over the last decade and a half.
“[Assistant coach Darius Theus] is one of the best leaders that VCU has had, you know, in its history of the basketball program, and certainly one of the best at stealing the ball,” Odom said. “[Pressing] has got to be what our identity is, and we’re working through it now.”
The upcoming season is an exciting yet blurry question mark for the program — a new coach, a fresh roster and revamped expectations in the NIL era make the season as highly-anticipated as any in recent history. Odom has no illusions about the frustrations that fans might have with a new, overhauled program. Still, the Cavalier coach encouraged the fans to get to know the players and emphasized that despite the new system, Virginia’s players are proud to play for Virginia basketball.
“We have to accelerate the process of connecting our players to our fans and this place,” Odom said. “We’ve pounded that into their heads, like what a great place Virginia is, and how lucky we all are to be here.”
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