Post depth has never been greater at VT. I would argue maybe ever. So not sure where that's coming from. Lawal and Hansberry are both capable of getting double doubles on a given night, Dorn is a 22 year old professional caliber player who is already the most efficient post scorer on the roster. The FOURTH option is a 4-star Christian Gurdak who could push for meaningful playing time, he is the most polished post recruit since Coleman Collins some 20 years ago. If Lawal/Hansberry get in foul trouble (and Dorn and Gurdak have apparently died in a plane crash), then VT will have to go with a lineup that is the one im most excited about: PG - Pasha Wing - Schutt Wing - Johnson 4 - Avdalas 5 - whatever center has a pulse VT wouldn't push Johnson to a 4 role with this lineup unless the matchups were super favorable to them. In MYs offense, the 4 is the one who will have the highest usage rate. It dictates the action the most. So it makes the most sense to put Avdalas in actions at that spot, forcing teams to play smaller or have a 4 guard Avdalas or Johnson. Avdalas probably defends ACC 4s better than he does wings, so that wouldn't be an issue. This would also keep Johnson defending the other team's best wing, again favorable to VT. The only reason Avdalas wont play 4 primarily are the same reasons VT couldnt/wouldn't play Lawal primarily as a 5. They came to VT to play roles that will be what will get them to the next level. So while Avdalas as a 4 would be an emergency situation, it would be one very favorable to VT. I almost hope they get in post foul trouble, it would be an exciting lineup. As far as your other concern, with the arrival of Avdalas and Pasha, every other scorer gets knocked down a level in their role. Scottie Pippen wasn't as valuable when he was the primary option, but when he's a secondary one he was elite. Same concept here, and no im not comparing anyone on VTs roster to Pippen. Lawal is the primary scoring option in the post, but last year he was the primary scoring option overall. He saw doubles, team's switched their matchups to better plan for him. All things you cannot do when the other post is Hansberry and neither are the 2 best players on the team with the ball in their hands. I would even say Lawal will have some games where he's the 4th or 5th option and have a usage that reflects that. His efficiency, as such, could skyrocket. Go ahead and double him, because you're gonna have to scramble when the ball swings back to Avdalas/Pasha or to a wide open Hansberry/Schutt. Schutt and Johnson are excellent role players, but both were forced to be primary scorers at times with last years roster. A lineup of Pasha, Schutt, Avdalas, Lawal and Hansberry will mean the teams WORST defender will be chasing Jaden Schutt for 20 min. Good luck.

Obviously, you have overlooked Chris Smith 🤓

but you know your stuff and articulate it well in a balanced, truthful approach. Thanks much.

Who actually scores when shots don’t fall? How many games will Schutt be a ghost? Is Lawal consistent? Bigs are the hardest players to actually get results from immediately. If you think relying on a less than athletic 4 star and Dorn is a great depth? I’m not so sure. Dorn is making a clear step up in game speed from the second German division to the ACC. Advalas profiles as a defensive sieve - by any means putting him on ACC 4s will not work well by any means. He goes on the worst shooting wing and that’s best case scenario. On paper the pieces are there, shots fall then yeah, you have to rely on individual matchups. Of all people, I’m pretty surprised you don’t see the issues that are there. A lot of jumping the gun on players becoming something they weren’t last season. Ultimately I think tech sees a lot more Lawal at the 5/Johnson at the 4 lineups than you think. I don’t think Dorn or Gurdak will be good enough to get 15 minutes a night at 5 to keep Lawal at the 4 on secondary lineups.

This is the existential question of our time.

my perspective, your optimism for the Hoos is warranted- with only one caution. Chemistry. I know that will be a problem for the Hokies, as well. But Odom has brought in a lot of volume shooters and volume scorers. Unless you have two basketballs on the offensive end, a lot of “buy in” and discipline are going the be required from a bunch of green light scorers.

The whole point is it doesn't matter as much this season if Schutt is a ghost in a given game or if Lawal is consistent Lawal isn't having a good game? Oh no, they'll have to turn to 20 point threats Pasha, Avdalas and Hansberry Schutt isn't shooting well? Oh no, they'll have to empty out a side and play a 2 man game with Lawal/Hansberry and Pasha/Avdalas Game speed matters the least at the 5 spot...especially the stronger you are, which applies to both Dorn and Gurdak. Again, the 3rd and 4th post options for VT. If Ty Outlaw can guard ACC 4s and be a net positive, Avdalas is going to have zero trouble doing so...he is better on both ends of the floor than Outlaw, the primary 4 on a Sweet 16 team. Avdalas absolutely does not go on the worst shooting wing regardless of who is on the floor, he's 6'8 and very mobile, and the defensive scheme will make playing in space defensively moot. You're a fan of a rival team vastly overblowing issues that you *hope* are there as a means to g8ve your program a better chance. 5 players in VTs rotation will need to learn a new system...every player who plays for UVA next season will be learning a new system. Good luck with that.

But to Odoms credit - this is the third rebuild of a roster in the portal - in which he was successful at Utah State and VCU. Odom has been better than MY and yes, Tony Bennett at building competitive and top of their respective leagues teams in the portal era. So I frankly am not as concerned for Odom as I would be Young… who just showed rebuilding a roster led to a meh season (with a big asterisk due to a PG that liked $$$ a bit too much). I think our difference lies in expectation of players. I just don’t see the steps you are expecting out of this entire roster that has never played together. Is it possible - yes! But to expect it is another. I think the holes are there not because it means uva is better than VT, the holes are there because there are holes. Will be interesting to see what happens when MY stops using his bench like he does in the acc season…. interesting to see how a MY team that never adjusts well to cold shooting due to inefficient scorers/lack of a legit bucket (Pedulla, Lawal) does when they are matched well in the half court. These are things that happen every season to MY teams. Now they won’t? Cmon. Just as I mentioned the key flaw with Odom to watch is when the “let the guards do their thing” becomes inefficient - what offense can uva run to get a good look/change flow? And let’s be frank. Reality is reality. Your third and fourth big haven’t played a second of acc level basketball. But that’s overblowing. Your 6’8 20 ppg guy hasn’t averaged 20 a night, even in his own league a step below ACC…. But now it’s happening. Inefficient role players are now elite all the sudden? And not a single player on techs roster has shown to be a true number 1 scoring option night in night out. And that “number 1” just led his team to a .500 season before this? Can this all happen - yes. Advalas can be the guy, Lawal can jump. But to act like it isn’t a legit concern that limits the potential of a team on June 10th considering it is all hypothetical at this stage…. That’s unfair to call it overblowing because I am a uva fan.

CMY had the least talented team at VT in a long time and we still beat you on your home court last year. 😎

Go back to the CCV and have this conversation with your golf buddies who will indulge you. You’re clearly trying to start a debate tearing down the team that this forum is focused on. People with actual coaching experience have responded and shown the error of your ways, yet you cling to this hope of whataboutism MY was able to manufacture points and played 10 guys last year, this year he has significantly more talent to work with including 4 guys who can play an NBA style two man game. Personally can’t wait to watch Odom attempt to cram 6 alpha scorers onto the floor and the fans blow up because they expect results to mirror the dream team.

disposes of pretty easily has gotten stale. This became the best thread of the summer so far, all because Wahoo decided to post.

arrogance beneath the handful of sideways compliments.

to their own opinion. Will be interesting to see if your outlook holds true.

Because Mike Young is “rebuilding” with 4 guys (Hammond, Schutt, Johnson and Lawal) who all started a fair amount of games. Only two will be primary starters this year, so while it isn’t a true 4 starter returning situation, it is 4 experienced guys who are going to be a part of whatever 7-8 man rotation Young ends up going with deep into ACC play. And then there is the case of Hansberry playing the 5, who came with Chester Frazier, who very much knows what Mike Young’s system works like, so you can also say that VT’s primary 5 isn’t exactly starting from scratch. And with Pasha and Avdalas both being able to get to the rim to get buckets - something Rechsteiner and Jaydon Young could absolutely NOT do - well, that’s the best solution to being cold. So, yeah, don’t leave. Stick around. And don’t forget that Ryan Odom always has his best year in year two. Never before, never after

Our 3rd and 4th big men might be new to the ACC, but so are your starting PG, SG, SF, PF and C so where does that leave us?

I've been excited about teams before and then they quit before the season starts or they have season-ending injuries or they gamble on basketball or they refuse to put a cotton swab up their nose If the roster makes it to the beginning of the season without any of those issues it'll be a great year

Haven't thought about him in a while. Definitely remember that deflating feeling when he opted out after 4 games that season. ** Edited by MaroonAvenger at 6/11/2025, 11:06:36 PM

Who do you envision will be your starters and main rotation pieces at each position? I think it would be an interesting discussion to compare position by position. I think we have some dynamic pieces to counter most any team we come up against.

To start, uva is returning only one player from last season - Elijah Gertrude who was recovering from his second season ending injury while at uva (tore his acl first year, played his second year sparingly, then got in a scooter accident and had to basically rebuild the leg he tore the acl in). Gertrude was an incredibly athletic 2 that could slash, but not much in terms of shooting/complete offensive game. Starters first, backups second/third. Odom played 6 guards at vcu last season at least 10 minutes so it is going to be heavy guard oriented, this also assume UVA will get Thijs de Ridder who has traveled to the US this week but is still waiting clearance from NCAA. 1 - Dallin Hall/Chance Mallory 2 - Malik Thomas/Sam Lewis/Elijah Gertrude 3 - Jacari White/Sam Lewis/Elijah Gertrude 4 - Thijs de Ridder/Devin Tillis/Silas Barksdale (4/5 hybrid likely not to see many minutes, freshman) / Martin Carrere (Stretch 4/ Big 3 that likely won’t see many minutes, pure shooter, think Kody Stattman a few years back at uva) 5 - Johann Grunloh (German 20 year old in top division, can shoot block round)/Ugonna Oyenso/Silas Barksdale To profile, Malik Thomas and Jacari White are microwave guards that score at will. Thomas from San Francisco has done consistently in the WCC so he will translate to the ACC. White did it at NDSU but he is the clear second option. Hall is a complete PG, can finish at the rim at 6’4 but is a facilitator of the pick and roll. Will hit the open 3. Thijs de Ridder is a 6’8 scoring 4. Think Jayden Garden with more athleticism and length, little bit less as a shooter but will dominate anyone smaller than him and is too quick for larger defenders. Just a walking mismatch. Grunloh is a 7’0 footer similar in the mold of Jay Huff, not flashy athleticism but dunks everything and blocks everything. Physicality will be an issue for him. Lewis is a 6’5 wing that will likely be the best defender. Averaged 16 at Toledo but has a very concrete game, shot 40% from 3 and is more a catch and shoot wing versus a creator. Can still get to rim/finish. Gertrude will be a slasher and will likely be the second best wing defender despite injury. If he adds a reliable 3 - he is going to be a 6MOTY type in the ACC. Tillis is interesting, he is an undersized 4 that is pure craft and finesse at the rim. Can hit the 3 at a great clip 35% or so on volume, averaged 14 at UC Irvine. Mallory will be a feisty undersized PG will have flashes like Hammond his first year. Think Kihei with legit offense day one. It is a top 25 team in terms of pure talent out of the gate. Thomas might be the best pure scorer in the ACC. de Ridder is 22 averaging 12 in the Spanish league, and might be the best 4 in the league. Think PJ Hall to a degree in terms of build and ability, but quicker. The combo of Hall, White, and Grunloh might be the best combo of “others” in the acc as well. I know it’s through orange and blue glasses but it is by far the best starting 5 since the national championship team. Against tech, and assuming tech goes 1. Pasha 2. Schutt/Johnson 3. Advalas 4. Lawal 5. Hansberry I’d say Hall over Pasha - Hall produced at BYU in 30 minutes, he’s does it at the top level so. Still think Pasha will be good. At the 2. White over Schutt. Not convinced Schutt is more than just a catch and shoot wing. Same with Johnson, great defender but not convinced the offense will be there. At the 3. Basically even, slight edge to Thomas since he has done at major level. 4, slight edge to Lawal for same reason as Thomas but basically even. 5. Hansberry over Grunloh. Grunloh will be a fine center, but Hansberry game by game impact will be better. As a team overall, in my eyes Virginia is a step above VT. Virginias depth is better and the presence of legit scorers at 3 positions for uva versus tech at just Advalas (if that frankly and wouldnt call Lawal a true scorer as a majority of his game comes through the offense). Virginia is going to run and I think that favors them as well - if tech isn’t hitting 3s where does the scoring come from? For Virginia, when shots aren’t falling, basically 3 guys can just attack through it. The major point to all of this is ON PAPER. Who knows what translate where for each team. But if on paper comes true, I’d expect uva to be a step above VT as a legit T25 team.

Odom recruited very well, and I do agree both teams have assembled the talent to be relevant. Several of your comments I don’t agree; first, that anyone could objectively stand back from the paper analysis and conclude “Virginia is a step above VT”, or vice versa. There’s too much new talent on both teams to say that. Next the “presence of legit scorers at 3 positions” frankly could just as easily be said about the players Tech puts on the floor. I would take Pasha over Hall, give the edge to Avdalas over Thomas, and I think you’ve undervalued VT’s post depth with Dorn, who looks to me to be a legitimate back up. Also, you will be wrong questioning VT’s ability to score if it’s not hitting 3s. This VT team will have more capable scorers and scoring balance than that. Overall I expect either team has talent capable of making a run, and I expect two very hard fought games between us. At this stage one doesn’t stand out over the other to me. The players are there on both sides. Now it’s going to come down to preparation and coaching most of all.

2025-26 team. VT will have depth at PG and enough ballhandlers to break press make teams pay for pressing. VT will be low TO team and strongest in a long while on boards. Without forcing TOs or big RB delta it is hard for a running team to win versus a solid defensive team. My question is which team Uva or VT will have a better half court offense? I'd bet on MY everyday of the week and Sundays to win this! Uva will not be the defensive challenge they were under Bennett playing the havoc style! If they can rattle a team, the PG, they will make some big runs turning D into offense. However, forced to defend against good shooting half court Offense and forced to get all their offense from half court offense us likely to mean loss or very close lucky to win game for uva. The one thing MY will need to do, which he now has the material talent to do is make teams pay for pressing by scoring in breaking the press. Weakness of his recent squads has been even if VT didn't turn it over against press, they ate up too much time getting across half court leaving not enough time to run half court offense. Thereby resulting bad shots. This should be much less of an issue with more scoring options and multiple Guys who can drive it and finish.

This view is based upon the following facts: - Proven front court in Lawal and Hansberry - Offensive leadership in Avdalas - Solid ACC level PG play - Solid play on the wing outside Avdalas I have faith that CMY eventually gets the most out of this team. Worst case scenario is top 1/3 ACC and NCAA bid.

would be great if you were even in the ballpark with that projection.

Bring it!

Balanced scoring. This is a young team, schutt, Hammond, and Johnson should all make significant jumps. Lawal will make significant jumps aswell just from thousands of more reps. IDK abt you but Lawal was pretty damn dominant in several games last year, but his lack of experience and our lack of surrounding talent made him disappear in some games. Bringing in Neoklis is bringing in an NBA ready offensive talent, if that’s not dominant or prolific I don’t know what is. Mike young gets the most from his post players, Dorn will be more than serviceable.

But I don’t think expect Advalas to be a dominant scoring guard. I see more an Egor Denim type profile versus a Malik Thomas profile (just a bucket getter). Doesn’t mean Advalas won’t do well and have good scoring games but I don’t see a dominant you need a bucket type on this roster. To assume he can walk in and be a pure ACC scorer is a lot. Also he isn’t bringing in an NBA ready offense talent, if he was at 6’8 and his age he’d be a first rounder…… that’s not bias, that’s just facts. Ryan Dunn got drafted as just a defender with no offense; so if Advalas had a part of his game that was NBA ready, this wouldn’t be a convo. Thats why I see it as a bubble team because the lack of “next step” type players TODAY. Does Johnson develop? Does Advalas score at will? Can Lawal become more of a force? That is what brings a top 25 discussion into play for me. The system and base that MY creates wins games alone based on last year season as you mention. But there’s a lot you can’t just immediately assume - Advalas, while clearly talented will now have to learn how to be defended as the number one option for example. There’s a lot of good parts but you can’t reliably say today that Tech has a true number 1 on this team, lots of guys who certainly profile as a great second option. But great second options don’t make a team - look at uva last year. Mckneely, Rohde, Saunders are all great secondary options/scorers. Try to make any of them a number one and you don’t have much success.

But I have faith in CMY. He has a proven track record of developing talent. As with most CMY teams we won’t know where we stand in November. Let’s compare notes in February.

Avdalas will be the #1 option, and likely playing as many minutes as he wants. Don’t get this mistaken, Tech needs avdalas; it’s not the other way around. For a player of his caliber promises are made.