Bigger, stronger Grunloh could be a big part of Cavaliers' success

Thijs De Ridder is unquestionably Virginia's best scorer, and Chance Mallory is the Cavaliers' only true point guard. If Ryan Odom were to lose either of them for an extended period this season, his team would suffer.

If you're wondering who sits third on the list of most valuable and irreplaceable Cavaliers, it's probably Johann Grunloh.

What makes Grunloh special?

Johann Grunloh Virginia Basketbal — Feb 21, 2026; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; Virginia Cavaliers center Johann Grünloh (17) celebrates during the second half against the Miami (FL) Hurricanes at John Paul Jones Arena. Mandatory Credit: Emily Faith Morgan-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The 7-foot German import started all 36 games as a freshman last season, but played the fewest minutes (21.1 per game) of any of Odom's five regulars as part of an effective platoon system at center with Ugonna Onyenso.

Occasional foul trouble, a lack of upper-body strength, and an undisclosed broken right wrist limited Grunloh's court time during the season's final month. That opened the door for Onyenso, who blossomed into arguably Virginia's best player in March. He blocked 105 shots (more than any Virginia player not named Ralph Sampson in a single season) and even became a capable scorer.

Onyenso became a second-round NBA draft pick and is now a member of the Detroit Pistons' summer league team. Grunloh's backup is now untested 7-1 freshman Favour Ibe, which means he should see significantly more minutes as a sophomore (although Odom could use De Ridder or transfer Kalu Anya at the 5 position in a smaller lineup).

By all accounts, Grunloh has prepared himself for a bigger role -- in part by becoming a bigger player. At his summer media availability last week, Odom said Grunloh has added roughly 15 pounds since the end of last season and now weighs nearly 250. His wrist has also fully healed.

"He looks different," Odom told reporters, "which is what you want to see for a younger player."

It's worth noting that when they arrived in Charlottesville last summer, Grunloh was actually considered a better pro prospect than De Ridder. His height, athleticism and shooting range mesh well with the current NBA game, and there was speculation that he might declare for the draft after one college season.

His injury helped scuttle those plans, and it became clear that he could benefit from another year of development. His return also ensures the Cavaliers still have a legitimate rim protector; Grunloh blocked 80 shots himself last season while also averaging 7.1 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.

Even though Odom has a deep and balanced team, Grunloh's numbers figure to improve this winter, along with his minutes. Fans also may see aspects of his game that were not evident in 2025-26.

“I'm excited for him and what's next,” Odom told reporters. “I think you'll see him dribble the ball more. We're allowing him to kind of rebound it and go and bust out and start the break a little bit to make us a little bit faster.”

Odom has the roster depth to rotate several players at the wing positions, and he can even give De Ridder some rest if Anyu and former redshirts Martin Carrere and Silas Barksdale develop.

Even in a changing game, though, it's good to have a man in the middle. And that's where Grunloh hopes to shine this winter.

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