Return of the Mike

The last three years have been tough for Virginia Tech men's basketball: 51 wins to 49 losses, no NCAA Tournaments, and a revolving door of forgettable players that have passed through Blacksburg and left with an Irish goodbye.

In 2024-25, the Hokies bottomed out to a 13-19 record and their fifth-worst finish ever in KenPom (164th). The underlying cause of this was poor leadership and financial mismanagement of NIL funds, a topic that I litigated before.

The losing certainly took a toll on the Hokies' head coach. I had never seen Mike Young so visibly frustrated than after the season-ending loss to Cal. Asked why the team struggled so much with turnovers, he sighed. "I don't know, man. We'll address some things in the offseason." On the Hokies' poor three-point shooting: "If you're a college basketball player, you have to step up to the plate and get that thing [in]."

Young was tip-toeing around the obvious: his team had very little talent. And everyone knew it.

But "address" those things he did. With three quality transfer additions and a talented freshmen class highlighted by one of the biggest splash signings in program history in Neoklis Avdalas, the Hokies have put last year fully in the rearview mirror. Revenue sharing has put the program on a slightly more competitive level financially, and the return of assistant coach Chester Frazier signifies an increased commitment to winning.

Now, it's up to Young to show he's still got his coaching chops. The 2025-26 team should have its sights set on March Madness.

The Backcourt

Much to Young's liking, the Hokies are well-stocked at the point guard position this season, with three players capable of running the point, including Avdalas.

Avdalas — point-forward, wing, stretch four, whatever you want to call him — is the cream of the crop. He averaged 14/7/8 last year playing in the HEBA Greek Basketball League (GBL) A1, the highest level of basketball in Greece.

Scouts have praised him for his footwork and passing, and he can defend at least three positions. He was projected as a late-second round pick if he had declared for the NBA Draft last summer, the major knock being that he still needed to physically develop and his three-point shot was a work in progress. But he is undoubtedly one of the most pro-ready prospects that Tech has ever had, possessing that rare combination of size and playmaking ability.