What We've Learned From Ryan Odom's First Offseason at UVA

The first offseason with Ryan Odom as the Virginia men’s basketball head coach is nearly complete. We’re under a month now until the regular season begins, with the first exhibition game at Vanderbilt scheduled for later this week.  Along the way, we’ve learned a few things about Odom and what to expect from the 2025-26 Wahoos.  But also some questions remain. 

What we’ve learned

Like a Glove

From his opening press conference, it’s been clear that Ryan Odom truly understands the culture at UVA.  He’s said and done the right things to adhere himself to fans and the community. It’s not surprising given his background, having spent a big part of his childhood in Charlottesville while his father served as an assistant under Terry Holland.  Even taking that into consideration, it’s been an impressively smooth transition.  For those of us that follow year-round, it doesn’t even feel like he’s the new guy anymore. 

There were early bumps in the road.  Most of last year’s team transferred. Some fans were upset when he didn’t retain former players from Bennett’s staff.  To his credit, he hasn’t dodged questions on those topics.  In his recent Locker Room Access interview (VIP), they dove into all that and more.  Once he got past the initial turnover that goes along with any coaching change, Odom has pushed all the right buttons to bring Wahoos together.  

Most importantly, Odom’s values align with UVA’s.  He speaks our language, and it’s done with sincerity.  People recognize that.  The style of play on the court may change, but he’s done a remarkable job of quickly reassuring fans and alumni that it will still be done with the same high level of integrity they expect at UVA.  

UVA will spend

The spring late recruiting/transfer cycle was the craziest ever.  We may never see anything like it again.  With revenue sharing now coming into effect, it was hopefully the last year of practically unregulated NIL deals.  Spending was out of control, all over college basketball.  UVA very much took part.  With Odom needing to assemble an almost entirely new roster, it was a necessity.  

By my estimation, the combined payroll of this year’s UVA roster will exceed $15 million.  That would place them among the highest in the country.  But there are plenty of others in the same neighborhood.  That was the market this year.  If you needed players, you had to pay…a lot more than ever before.  

So while the system will change a little under revenue sharing going forward, the lesson remains that UVA is willing to finance men’s basketball at a level that few programs can match.  And just as importantly, Odom won’t hesitate to leverage those resources.  

Year by Year

It’s already becoming apparent that Odom will employ a roster management style that’s befitting the times. Planning will be more on a year-to-year basis than we’ve seen in the past.  That doesn’t mean there won’t be roster continuation, ideally there will be.  But young players need to establish themselves before they’re counted on as integral pieces for the following year.  That’s the main difference. 

Odom embraces the portal and the advantages it can offer.  Under Bennett, it was mostly just used as a stop gap to plug holes.  Long term roster planning always took priority.  The bottom line is it’ll be about maximizing each season first and foremost with Odom.  In today’s environment, that’s probably the best way to go.  

Questions

Potential ceiling

Since the invention of the transfer portal, it’s been the prevailing theory that teams loaded with new transfer additions have a certain ceiling.  And I generally believe that to be accurate.  They can have a good season, but rarely do they come together well enough to be relevant in the national picture.  Final Four contenders or even major conference champions don’t typically have rosters put together the way UVA did it this year. 

However, this year could prove to be an exception to the norm.  And it goes back to the unusual spending that took place in the spring.  The opportunity to earn millions brought many more high level transfers into the portal than ever before.  In the past, this UVA team and similar ones like it around the country couldn’t have been assembled.  The depth of talent wasn’t available.  

I think a lot of prognostications have that same built-in assumption, which may cap where we see UVA predicted (or not) in preseason polls.  There’s a good chance the Hoos are being underestimated.  

Euro Adjustment

The biggest variable for UVA this season will be how well their high profile European imports adjust to college basketball.  Belgian forward Thijs de Ridder and German center Johann Grünloh might be Odom’s starting frontcourt, and they have the potential to be one of the best in the country. 

Virginia’s two foreign newcomers up front — This de Ridder and Johann Grunloh — both look the part. Both are comfortable facing up. Both taking and making 3’s with confidence. Good players.

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) October 1, 2025

Both players came over from top division European pro teams, and both are legit NBA prospects.  They’re the type of guys who previously would have never considered the college route.  Thanks to the earnings opportunity available now, they’re here.  Odom and his staff, particularly Griff Aldrich, deserve a ton of credit for luring them over.  They were sneaky big recruiting wins.  

There’s no past comparison for them. Again, there’s a built-in bias because so often overseas recruits disappoint initially in college basketball.  But those were not players with the same background.  At the same time, they will have an adjustment.  The college style of game is very different and they’ll need to assume more featured roles than they had in Europe.  

Recruiting

High School recruiting is definitely still a big question mark for Odom.  The signing period is quickly approaching and he’s still searching for his first commitment from the 2026 class.  Although to be fair, there are six other ACC teams in the same predicament.  NIL and some of the changes to the recruiting calendar have led to high school prospects holding out longer. 

From going back through Odom’s history at previous stops, this isn’t unusual for him.  He’s quite comfortable going deep in recruiting cycles and often signs high school players during the late spring period.  It’s very different from what UVA fans are used to.  Tony Bennett nabbed a lot of early commitments and was usually finished by September.  Whereas, Odom never had a recruit committed before the fall at VCU or Utah State.   

Odom took shots at quite a few very high level recruits this go-round, not getting far in most cases.  There are still a few left in play, as I’ll get to below.  But truthfully, it’s been a boring cycle with little activity so far.  As a recruiting dude, I’m hoping for a bit more juice in the years ahead.  

Recent Visitors

Virginia hosted top 50 ranked wing Luca Foster on an official visit last weekend.  The 6’5 SG/SF from the Philadelphia area attends Link Academy (MO).  He’s been on a visit tour this fall with previous stops at Villanova, Oklahoma, Michigan, Georgetown, and Ohio State.  There’s one more scheduled trip left to Gonzaga next weekend, with a decision likely coming in late October to early November. 

Petersburg (VA) forward Latrell Allmond will announce his college choice on Monday.  He was in town for an official visit a couple weeks ago.  The final five are Virginia, Maryland, Tennessee, Indiana, and Oklahoma State.  It would be a pretty big surprise if the Wahoos get the call, but we’ll see what happens.  

Five-star Iowa United center Arafan Diane was also recently in Charlottesville for a visit.  The Hoos are joined by Kentucky, Indiana, Houston, and Arkansas in his final five.  He has two more upcoming visits remaining to Indiana and perceived favorite Houston before a planned decision date in mid-November.  

Excited for a new season?  Come join the discussion on the Locker Room Access forum, the place to be for any Wahoo basketball fanatic. 

(Featured Image Credit: Jamie Holt/UVA Athletics)