Virginia Tech Men’s Basketball’s 2026-27 Roster Outlook As We Enter June

Virginia Tech basketball underwent an array of change for the second straight season, only retaining five players from its 2025-26 unit. The Hokies lost Neoklis Avdalas (North Carolina), Tobi Lawal (graduated), Jailen Bedford (eligibility), Christian Gurdak (Rutgers) and Jaden Schutt (Kansas State), among others.

Still, the path is there for the Hokies to carve out a solid niche in the ACC this upcoming season. Virginia Tech retained guard Ben Hammond (junior in 2026-27) and forward Amani Hansberry (senior), providing stability at two key positions for the Hokies. Hansberry can be able to play at both the four or the five, depending on the matchups that Virginia Tech wants to take advantage of. If playing a rebounding-heavy team, the Hokies can utilize a lineup that plays both Hansberry and San Diego State transfer big Miles Heide, a senior who projects to be a solid offensive rebounder with a more raw offensive makeup.

Though Heide isn’t as polished as Gurdak was last season – the now-Rutgers-bound big posted 17 points and 19 rebounds against then-No. 21 Virginia Dec. 31 – he provides a similar mean, and he should slot in as a experienced defensive option. Elsewhere in the battle, Sin’Cere Jones returns after a lower-bdoy injury cut his season short after 11 games. Jones was a relative non-factor on the offensive end, though he shined at points, particularly against Elon Dec. 20, where he logged a game-turning block. While I don’t think that Jones will start in 2026-27, I do think that his retainment was critical for the sole reason that it adds another body with experience under Young’s system, allowing for the players around Jones to assimilate into Young’s structure.

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The guard rotation appears to have more malleabiltiy than the frontcourt – Oklahoma transfer Kuol Atak could play the three or the four, but his weight (192 pounds) leads me to think he’ll run at the three-spot unless he bulks up – and that starts with the budding Hammond. The 5-foot-11 rising…

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Publish date : 2026-06-03 19:30:00

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