Mark Pope has set up a meeting with a 6'9 unicorn in the transfer portal

Mark Pope has locked in a meeting with an elite guard in the transfer portal.

Feb 21, 2026; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies guard Neoklis Avdalas (17) celebrates with fans after the game at Cassell Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bishop-Imagn Images | Brian Bishop-Imagn Images

One of the most intriguing prospects in the transfer portal is Neoklis Avdalas, who just played his freshman season at Virginia Tech. For the Hokies, the 6’9 point guard averaged 12.1 points, 4.6 assists, 3.1 rebounds while shooting 38.6% from the field and 31.4% from three. It sounds like Kentucky Coach Mark Pope has a ton of interest in the guard from Greece.

Coach Pope and the staff have set up a meeting with Avdalas, and the goal will be to get him on campus. Some Kentucky fans might look at the shooting percentages and not be all that interested in a player like Avdalas, but he is going to be a star not only in college basketball but someday in the NBA.

🇬🇷6'9 Freshman, Neoklis Avdalas (@neoo1721) is entering the #TransferPortal!

The Virginia Tech guard averaged 12.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game this season.

Neoklis is a versatile playmaker with elite size for his position. He excels in pick-and-roll… pic.twitter.com/PYlrrIGHvV

— LayUp Hoops (@Layup_Scouting) April 2, 2026

Avdalas has a nickname of “Baby Luka” because he plays the game very similarly to Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic. The thing that makes Doncic such a special player is how he can speed up and slow down to create shots for himself. He is very methodical with the basketball, and this is what fans will see if they watch film on Avdalas.

The 6’9 guard is still very raw, but he will thrive in the Pope offense if he does choose to play for Coach Pope and the Wildcats. Personally, Avdalas is my favorite player in the transfer portal because he has the upside of a top ten player in the nation if he fully taps into his talent.

Feb 21, 2026; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies guard Neoklis Avdalas (17) shoots a shot as Wake Forest Demon Deacons forward Juke Harris (2) defends during the second half at Cassell Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bishop-Imagn Images | Brian Bishop-Imagn Images

If Pope were to land Avdalas, I would still want him to get another point guard like Rob Wright III, Zoom Diallo, Deden Thomas Jr., or another elite point guard in the portal. The perfect scenario for Kentucky would be to take Avdalas as a backup guard and see what he can develop into over the offseason. If he hits his upside, he could be a starter for the Wildcats, and if not, he will be a serviceable player off of the bench.

Hopefully the meeting over the phone between Pope and Avdalas goes well and the staff is able to move to the next step which would be the 6’9 unicorn getting to Lexington for a visit. It sounds like the staff, like me, has a ton of interest in Avdalas being a Wildcat, so I expect Pope to push really hard after the Greek guard. If Pope is able to get this done, it is the kind of upside play that can lead to a National Title if Avdalas is surrounded by more great players.