Get your popcorn ready. Virginia basketball stands less than two weeks away from the formal kickoff of the Coach Ryan Odom era, an occasion caught at the crossroads of quiet excitement and bittersweet reflection.
This time last year, Virginia was still processing the shocking resignation of Tony Bennett. Now the program is starting anew — new coaching staff, new energy, almost an entirely new roster.
Odom may be a familiar face, because of his roots with the program as well as for a fateful spring night in 2018, but the brand of basketball that he brings will feel alien to those used to packlines and patient possessions. And the talented team assembled seemingly overnight has only a few familiar faces.
So what to expect this season? It might help to start with the basics — the same questions everyone has in those few weeks before college basketball that we call October. Three basketball writers from The Cavalier Daily discuss.
Which player are you most excited to see in a Virginia uniform?
Emory Huffman, Senior Writer: We have already seen sophomore guard Elijah Gertrude rep the orange and blue, but it’s been a long time — Gertrude missed the entirety of the 2024-25 season with a knee injury. Despite having already spent two years on Grounds already, Gertrude is somewhat of an unknown quantity. Still, it’s hard not to be excited about the electric bounce and ball-handling abilities he showed in limited time two seasons ago. The sophomore is one of the only holdovers on a roster packed with brand new talent, perhaps forcing Gertrude into more of a complementary role than his play style would otherwise dictate. If he can adjust to the new faces and find his role, though, the game-changing potential remains.
Thomas Baxter, Senior Writer: Graduate forward Devin Tillis is just a funky player — in the best way possible. There’s something so fun about the old-school/new-school intersection of a robust post-scoring power forward that lets it fly from beyond the arc and plays point guard sometimes just because he can. What he lacks in explosiveness he makes up for with nimble footwork and feather-light touch around the rim — check out his game-winner against UC Santa Barbara if you don’t believe it. A player like that is everything a winning side wants in its rotation, and Tillis’ larger-than-life personality has him hosting YouTube shows and serving as the team’s self-designated “glue guy.” He’s a great player, and he’s really fun to watch — who cares about dunks anyways?
Aimee Crosbie, Staff Writer: I’m picking the guy with the shortest — pun intended — intro, local hero and freshman guard Chance Mallory. In an era of mercenaries, a homegrown guy will be comforting to fans searching for familiarity on the floor of John Paul Jones Arena. Sentiment aside, Mallory initially decommitted upon Tony Bennett’s retirement, but his subsequent recommitment to the Cavaliers after Odom’s hire just made sense. Odom has a proven track record with smaller guards — UMBC starter Darnell Rogers stood at just 5-foot-2. With rim protection aplenty in 7-foot centers — freshman Johann Grünloh and senior Ugonna Onyenso — it leaves space for Mallory to get under the dribble and really funnel the ball aggressively. His stature-driven style allows for a unique switch-up when graduate point guard Dallin Hall inevitably needs to get off his feet.
What is your biggest concern about this team heading into the season?
EH: Nobody knows anyone. Not the team, not the coaches, not the fans. Maybe that’s overstating things, but this team has been reconstructed from scratch. Every team needs an identity — when a team does not have one, the consequences are clear. Virginia will need to find its identity quickly or it will risk dropping critical early-season games. Will the Cavaliers play the fast-paced brand of offense featured by Odom at VCU? Will Odom trust a few key playmakers to create shots, or will the team live behind the three-point line? These are all questions that had clear answers for most teams this offseason, but not for Virginia. The Cavaliers cannot spend too long finding their identity to start this season — if they come out of the gate limping, the season could slip away quickly.
TB: Can this team win on the road? Virginia is going to be playing some of its toughest games away from home. Sure, JPJ might be seeing a lot of Cavalier wins, but a team with March ambitions not having that home-court advantage in high-stakes matchups is worrisome. Texas away in early December, then starting conference play with games at Virginia Tech and NC State, does not give the team a lot of time to come into its own. Facing the potential two strongest teams in the conference — Louisville and Duke — away just adds to that. The Cavaliers need to steal a few wins on the road against top teams while maintaining a strong home record to keep their tournament hopes realistic, which is always easier said than done.
AC: Unfortunately for this particular team, there’s only one basketball on the court. A lot of the new Cavaliers were the Robins at their previous stops — and graduate guard Malik Thomas was indubitably Batman during his time at San Francisco. Thomas sat near a 30 percent usage rate, junior guard Sam Lewis and graduate guard Jacari White lived in the mid-to-high 20s and Dallin Hall was always closing at BYU. That’s a lot of muscle memory to recalibrate, especially when the players are under the pump — some old habits will have to die so they can get by with fewer touches night to night. Odom has mentioned his early-season philosophy includes an aversion to labels, but perhaps clearer roles could be the fastest route from many talented parts to a more cohesive whole.
What is one storyline to watch as the season gets underway?
EH: Who will take control of the scoring duties? Once again, Virginia lacks a ringleader. After the departure of Reece Beekman in 2024 — and Tony Bennett’s subsequent departure — the Cavaliers relied on a committee approach for the primary scoring duties in 2024-25. The results were subpar. With a fresh batch of scorers on Grounds, it will be interesting to see who takes command. My guess is freshman forward Thijs De Ridder, the 6-foot-9 Belgian. European basketball is no joke, so De Ridder might make the transition to the ACC more easily than other newcomers. A sneakier choice is graduate guard Jacari White, an experienced scorer from North Dakota State who averaged 17.1 points per game last season. The door truly remains wide open to scoring opportunities, so it remains to be seen who will take advantage.
TB: The Commonwealth Clash could be really fun this year. The Cavaliers split the series against Virginia Tech last season, with the away team winning each matchup. While Virginia’s team this year looks the part of a top team in the conference, the Hokies’ roster — its starting five especially — should not be overlooked. Coach Mike Young and his staff brought back three of their four best players, a rarity in this day and age, and also had an impressive offseason marked by the additions of junior forward Amani Hansberry from West Virginia and 6-foot-9 freshman guard Neoklis Avdalas from Greece. The rivalry is completely up for grabs this year, and the two games bookending conference play could make that second meeting in Charlottesville all the more consequential.
AC: Virginia is no stranger to international imports, but few have arrived with resumes quite like those of Belgian power forward De Ridder and German 7-foot center Johann Grünloh — this faux-freshman duo will likely set Virginia’s defensive ceiling this season. Their experience in their respective professional leagues means they’ve both played minutes beyond their years — making them two of the most battle-tested on this roster. Thijs, nicknamed “The Tank,” will largely be a constant at the four. De Ridder will be a matchup problem in ball screens — most fours won’t be comfortable defending his pick and roll reads. Grünloh has both verticality and timing at the rim, but is also comfortable stepping outside the arc and shooting threes. These two Europeans will no doubt play a key piece in Odom’s frontcourt this season.
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