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fakehokiestolenvalor OP
Feb 13, 2026 at 01:29 AM ET
GCHokie question
You have been very confident and adamant about Neo being a first rounder, just wondering if you amended that. Can’t find him in any first round projections for any mock drafts anymore. Latest ESPN one 11 hours ago has him 43 Hope he crushes it here on out and would love to have him as a first rounder too ** Edited by fakehokiestolenvalor at 2/13/2026, 1:29:44 AM

56 Replies

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Squatro
5mo
Let’s say he would go 25th this year
That is worth an a cumulative $9.3 million over three years. What if he can play his way up to 15th next year , that’s worth a cumulative $15 million over three years. I’m not sure that it’s a no-brainer for him to come out this year. ** Edited by Squatro at 2/14/2026, 1:03:05 PM
Italian Stallion Italian Stallion
5mo
The NBA draft will be interesting this year, especially as it relates
to the comments of the posters on this board concerning Neo. There will be many "I told you so" comments either way. I'm just going to get my popcorn ready for the fireworks!
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GCHokie34
5mo
This post by GCHokie34 removed by Tech Sideline admin
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DDhokie31
5mo
This post by DDhokie31 removed by Tech Sideline admin
MDHokie79 MDHokie79
5mo
He needs another year of seasoning in college IMHO
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HokiesACC2004
5mo
Go before they find more things wrong with you
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soflahokie
5mo
I tend to disagree, the NBA suits his game much better than college
It’s a much quicker, more open, more iso focused game. The longer 3pt line means defenses can’t double on the perimeter or blitz ball screens because help is so far away. Every player around you can be a primary ball handler, it’s not just you and maybe 1 or 2 other guys who can initiative offense or attack the basket. Add to that the refs call almost everything if you’re not primarily playing down low. The longer college shot clock and condensed floor makes the game much more defensive focused and way more physical. Neo is an incredible and willing passer which is something that’s very hard to teach and goes a long way in a pro league that has an excess of guys with the talent to score 1 on 1 but a lack of guys willing to give up the ball. ** Edited by soflahokie at 2/13/2026, 9:48:39 AM
vtbball80 vtbball80
5mo
This is spot on.
jagerhokie jagerhokie
5mo
NBA - 115 pts/game…College - 74 pts/game …NBA more wide open/ less ..
Set up plays ….Neos game would fit NBA better than the structure in College …but no guarantees ✌️
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ftsumterhokie
5mo
I agree with this post
I think Neo will do well in the NBA. Very different game to which he is better suited..
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cbhokie1
5mo
I like your take on the style of the NBA game and agree Neo can excel
as a passer at the next level. My biggest question is whether or not he has the speed and strength to translate to the next level. I think it will be hard for him to create separation and get to his spots to be effective as a passer. He also needs to be a much more consistent shooter. I would love to have him back for another year, and think it would be to his benefit as well.
MDHokie79 MDHokie79
5mo
Interesting points. Thanks for the info!
Will Stewart Will Stewart
5mo
Interesting take.
I'm a guy who never watches the NBA -- and I certainly don't break it down like you just did -- so that's educational for me.
BG Hokie BG Hokie
5mo
That's not how it works. That would hurt his stock more than a
disappointing freshman season.
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VTCALS72
5mo
Agree
Isn't the NBA scouting for the way their game is played? To me college ball is different and I think I also agree with those who say Neo's game is more suited for the NBA. It seems that college ball has way more quick hands, long armed, quick feet defenders or at least there are more college players who play that way. IMHO, Neo was hardly challenged by that many players who could get and stay in his face in the open court or under the basket before this year. He won't see that in the NBA.
BG Hokie BG Hokie
5mo
It's more simple than that... Age matters. A 20 year old with Neo's
potential is more valuable than a 21 year old with Neo's potential. IIWII Maybe there is some possibility that Neo likes Blacksburg and is fine with another year in college before heading overseas or playing the G league knowing that it would hurt his NBA draft stock pedigree. The only reason that would ever happen, in my opinion, is if he meets the right coed!
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Windows NT
5mo
this --> "if he meets the right coed!"
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saret
5mo
My spouse has seen Neo with his girlfriend at the Mall.
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Windows NT
5mo
99.92% he's coming back! :-)
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saret
5mo
I have no idea. I'm just passing along what my wife said.
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Jwunderdog
5mo
Or a year in the G League.
May be able to make more $ staying college, but $$ difference may not be that important to him. Be interesting to know how much a school would offer him next year?
Will Stewart Will Stewart
5mo
Would love to have him back for another year.
Work on his shot in the offseason, get more mature, get more acclimated to the college game ... an improved, more confident Neo could be a huge asset next year.
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saret
5mo
Not meant for you Will, but I find it hypocritical that the same
posters who are so critical of Neo are the same ones who want him back. If he isn't "all that" then why would you want him back? When I use the hypocrisy words, that, from me, is my greatest insult.
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cbhokie1
5mo
It’s actually not hypocrisy at all.
I think it’s very fair to say that Neo has not been the top 20 player some “experts” on here guaranteed us he would be and to be disappointed in some of his performances given the expectations. Just because he has been disappointing relative to our expectations, doesn’t mean he can’t help our team win with another year of experience. I don’t know why anyone wouldn’t want him back, but we can be honest about his struggles and still understand that he we are better with him on the team vs not.
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saret
5mo
Again, as I replied to Will, infra, he's so bad, but we want him back. You
don't think that's hypocritical?
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Jwunderdog
5mo
Ridiculous statement, I am one of those that is very critical of NEO late
in games. His #s in the last 7 minutes of games are terrible, but I expect just like with most Freshman he will improve over the next year and be much better in crunch time. I would love to have him back, but that doesn't mean I want him in late game situations at this point in the season where we can not afford to blow games. Ben Hammond was not good in late game situations last year, doesn't mean I didn't want him to come back.
tallahasseehokie tallahasseehokie
5mo
Even Coach Boeheim (sp) who was very positive of his skill set early on has
cooled off on him. Says he needs to shoot better to attain his aspirations. He's coached his share of NBA players. That said, if the money is right he's gone.
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saret
5mo
Thanks for proving my point.
Will Stewart Will Stewart
5mo
@Jwunderdog's take is completely reasonable.
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saret
5mo
I didn't say it wasn't. Just said it was hypocritical.
Will Stewart Will Stewart
5mo
How so? Be specific.
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saret
5mo
As I said in my post, people who post how bad he is, how he is not NBA
ready, but want him back. They are putting their personal desires above what Neo/coaching staff/agents/supporters say. From my viewpoint, it's selfish and hypocritical. Lastly, what I/you/hypocrites think, the only opinion that matters is Neo's.
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HokieRat
5mo
Welcome to fandom's being selfish, you must be new here.
And its not hypocritical, its personal assessment of a player. People can separate a player's potential from their current production. They can see the talent a player is capable of but can determine if they think its applicable to a certain level (NBA or College). Much like how they can think Neo has a skill set that could excel in the NBA, but think it needs further sharpening. Therefore instead of potentially blowing that chance in the NBA, it would be better suited for a year in college. That also depends on what organization people think is better for player development (NBA, G League, overseas, college) vs monetary value You lose all credibility when calling out someone as a hypocrite because you only view it as a insult (your own words, showing you never intended to have a good faith argument), not that because the belief creates a fallacy.
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saret
5mo
I like your opening line. It made me laugh. Good One!
Now to answer your post. I only arrived at the term hypocrisy based upon posts over the last few weeks by those posters who have included in their posts how bad Neo is, but how much they would want him back. I didn't make the connection, they did. Go back and review the posts about Neo. The nexus is there. Not my creation, theirs. I too can criticize some plays/decisions/actions of Neo. Like all of us, he's not perfect. But many on here extrapolate that to how over-hyped he was. And. he was over-hyped. But, he didn't do the hyping. How is he responsible for the hype? So, we are left with those people who pile on, based upon hype Neo did not create, essentially say he sucks, but want him back so badly it appears palpable. Your also right in your opening line with the use of the word fandom. It is the fandom that is hypocritical, so if that's your point, I can agree to that. So, whether it's fandom or poster-fans, it doesn't make it less hypocritical.
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Jwunderdog
5mo
I would like all starting 5 back next year and none of them are NBA ready.
You are making no sense. I like a lot of your post but this isn't one of them. Neo is going to do what is in his best interest and I want him too, but that doesn't mean I don't want him back.
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saret
5mo
For the record, I would like him back too, but I think your last
sentence is the ultimate answer. To go along with my selfish desire to have him return, I also don't criticize him constantly, if ever. Does he make mistakes? Absolutely! So did MJ, etal. But, again to me, with the amount of criticism Neo receives on here, why would anyone want him back. To me, that's hypocrisy on the part of those I described, supra. And, as I just said to @Will Stewart , we're probably not going to ever agree on this.
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Jwunderdog
5mo
Maybe I am giving Neo too much credit for being self aware.
I assumed he knew he wasn't playing well and didn't have to come to some posting board to either find out or confirm it. I am a huge Tech fan I don't boo players, I don't get on X and post to player profiles. Yes, from time to time I post my frustrations out on here when I see consistent poor play but I am never rooting for a player to prove me right; I want them to develop and prove me wrong.
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saret
5mo
That's a great post, and shows you as a real VT fan. Like you, I try
not to post when I'm frustrated. But, we all, including myself, succumb to our lesser voices.
Will Stewart Will Stewart
5mo
I don't see where that's hypocritical.
"how bad he is, how he is not NBA ready, but want him back." -- Saying he is bad is harsh. -- Saying he is not NBA ready is a reasonable viewpoint. May not be correct, but it's reasonable. -- Wanting him back -- sure, because he can improve greatly and benefit VT next year, regardless of what he's doing this year. "A hypocritical person is someone who pretends to have virtues, beliefs, or moral standards that they secretly don't possess or fail to live by, often criticizing others for behaviors they engage in themselves." I don't see where that's hypocritical.
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saret
5mo
Some say he isn't NBA ready. My particular observation (and some others
on here), just believe his game isn't a good fit for college, but a better fit for the pros. Some of the posters on here talk. repeatedly, about how bad he is (go back and look), including suggesting he be benched. So, if he's so bad, why do they want him back? The only reason is they are selfish. He isn't bad, he shouldn't be benched, and he is a perceived valuable asset. He's not perfect, but he is singled out for more criticism that his teammates. And, his value is not in his scoring. He's a facilitator, a distributor, or as CMY calls it, a connector. From my viewpoint, to be so nitpicking on Neo, but still want him back so desperately, is hypocritical. If he's bad, why have him back. That being said, he will make that choice after the season, based upon what's best for him and what the pro scouts' projections are. Just so you know, we're probably never going to agree on this.
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Windows NT
5mo
you can think of it like this...
kid (neo)... i want to move out of the house next yr when i turn 16 parents (neo's haters)... are you out of the fckin mind? that's so stupid of you... how will you survive? you can't succeed parents (neo's haters)... we want you back in this house and live with us for a yr or two.. we are looking out for neo's best interest lol ** Edited by Windows NT at 2/13/2026, 12:34:42 PM ** Edited by Windows NT at 2/13/2026, 12:35:41 PM
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saret
5mo
I could think of it like that, but I don't. I don't think you analogy
is equivalent.
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2hhoop3
5mo
I think the debate.......
may turn more on the choice of words and trying to understand the true motivation of a poster. Hypocritical? Maybe not. Selfish? Maybe, Maybe not. Motivation is hard to determine as the paths that might be the most beneficial for the player or the school could diverge. At the end of the day, it is the player's choice to make. The irony is those who lambaste him, yet say he needs to return may just be hurting their own wish and this may be where your choice of words actually enters the debate. As for me, I'm going to take in the ride and not try not to get too twisted about the potential outcomes.
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saret
5mo
Good post. As per usual, you state it more eloquently than I.
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2hhoop3
5mo
I think you said it fine.....
this subject and the choice of words really is a call for individual posters, IMO, and we all just have to consider what we say and why we choose to say it that way. ** Edited by 2hhoop3 at 2/13/2026, 10:18:17 PM
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saret
5mo
Agreed. I settled on the word hypocrisy, because ironic wasn't strong
enough, nor was dichotomy. Posters opinions, including mine, mean nothing. But the criticism of Neo had become, to me at least, a step over the line, yet some posters on here would be extremely critical, then say he should come back to VT. Those, to me, are opposing opinions that don't congeal unless one is being hypocritical. They keep posting about Neo's hype, which he didn't create. They did. Would I like Neo to come back,...sure. But that's selfishness on my part. I am sure he'll make the decision that is best for him, and CMY will help him make that decision. Overall, Neo, CMY and the team have handled it very well. Much better than postsrs.
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Windows NT
5mo
I'm critical of my kids, but that doesn't mean i don't l love them.
i'm critical of neo's games. does that mean i hate him? ** Edited by Windows NT at 2/13/2026, 11:37:49 AM
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saret
5mo
Yeah, but I doubt you criticize you kids on a public forum,
go on and on about how bad they are, and then say you love'm. If you did that, some might consider that hypocritical.
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Windows NT
5mo
in public yes when they misbehaved or doing something stupid
that's not hypocritical ** Edited by Windows NT at 2/13/2026, 12:27:48 PM ** Edited by Windows NT at 2/13/2026, 12:28:54 PM
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saret
5mo
My apologies> Didn't realize you were you were so harsh.
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VTCALS72
5mo
I would love to have him back but would "assume" he would not be the same
player as this year. I assume he would be better. I think nearly everyone would want a better Neo.
hoosnowahokie hoosnowahokie
5mo
It would be great. But does he want to stay?
And is that want worth enough money to skip an NBA contract a year early?
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George Baylor
5mo
+1 agree not ready for NBA another year would help
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cbhokie1
5mo
Funnily enough, he’s been very quiet on the subject recently…
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Windows NT
5mo
he's a lottery pick for sure
powerball? definitely needs at least another year here or elsewhere
AnotherTechW AnotherTechW
5mo
Fake hokie lol - Troll Hokie would be more accurate