Editor’s Note: This article was first published April 13 and will be updated throughout the men’s basketball offseason.
After a 27-4 regular season, a trip to the ACC Tournament final and a win in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, Virginia men’s basketball enters the offseason looking to retool ahead of Coach Ryan Odom’s second season in Charlottesville.
The Cavaliers will need a productive offseason — five members of the rotation are out of eligibility, including two starters. After such an impressive first year, expectations will be high for Odom and his staff to make strong additions and build off of his success.
This tracker will follow all major news — additions, departures and important updates — and will be updated regularly as the offseason progresses.
April 12: Sam Lewis — returner
Sam Lewis will return for Virginia, per Jon Rothstein. The junior wing from Chicago is the final scholarship player from 2025-26 that will return next season — remarkably, Virginia retained all of its scholarship players with remaining eligibility. Lewis was an important cog in the offense last season, averaging 10.6 points per game and shooting 40.3 percent from three-point range.
Lewis started 35 of 36 games for the Cavaliers and was named to the ACC All-Tournament First Team. He is currently the only rising senior on the roster. His return sets the stage for Odom to add on the margins through the transfer portal with the starting core of Lewis, De Ridder and Grünloh now locked down.
April 7-8: Cavaliers return depth players
Sophomore guard Elijah Gertrude, freshman forward Silas Barksdale and redshirt freshman wing Martin Carrere all announced their intention to return to the Cavaliers next season. None of these players were regular members of the rotation this past season, but could work their way into more minutes next season.
Gertrude — who redshirted the 2024-25 season due to a leg injury — appeared in 17 games this season, scoring a combined 29 points. He is a wiry and explosive slasher who likes to attack the rim, and could work his way to more minutes as a junior.
Barksdale, a first-year power forward out of Newport News, redshirted his freshman campaign after switching his commitment from VCU when Odom took the job at Virginia. He has yet to play for the Cavaliers, but is a big-bodied interior player who could see the floor more in his second year.
Carrere, who is the lone player on the roster who played under Odom in the 2024-25 season, played in 16 games as a sophomore. The 6-foot-9 Frenchman is a promising shooter with some chops as a handler, who could be a valuable depth piece as he grows as a player.
April 6: Johann Grünloh — returner
The seven-foot freshman center from Germany was a defensive stalwart and critical piece of the offense for Virginia in 2025-26. Grünloh started all 36 games for Virginia despite suffering a wrist injury in the ACC Tournament. He averaged 7.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game, good for third in the ACC in blocks per game.
Grünloh’s return gives the Cavaliers half of their dominant center duo, with senior Ugonna Onyenso out of eligibility. Grünloh gives Virginia versatility on both ends of the court, providing elite rim protection and presenting a legitimate threat from beyond the arc — he shot 35 percent from three last season. The European contingent of freshman forward Thijs De Ridder and Grünloh will likely comprise the core of Odom’s starting lineup once again in 2026-27.
April 6: Thijs De Ridder — returner
The Cavaliers’ leading scorer last season, Belgian freshman Thijs De Ridder announced his intent to return to Charlottesville for the 2026-27 season. The All-ACC First Team member averaged 15.6 points and 6.2 rebounds per game in his first season of college basketball, having previously played professionally in Spain.
A burly power forward with a strong back-to-the-basket game, De Ridder is a physical rebounder and efficient scorer inside the arc who did well as the focal point of Odom’s offense. He scored 20 or more points 12 times on the season, and will be a vital starter for Virginia next season.
April 6: Chance Mallory — returner
The first announcement pertaining to next season’s roster, freshman guard Chance Mallory confirmed his intention to return to Virginia for his sophomore campaign April 6. The Charlottesville native and St. Anne’s-Belfield School alumnus played 24 minutes per game in his first year at the University, averaging 9.3 points, 3.4 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 1.6 steals off the bench.
A two-way playmaker and energetic creator, Mallory could work his way into the starting lineup next season, considering that he was among the ACC’s best bench players. He is a high-impact and productive guard who plays well above his height, and only stands to improve as he grows more comfortable at the collegiate level.
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