Ranking every Virginia basketball player by importance heading into next season

Ryan Odom and the rest of Virginia's coaching staff did an excellent job this offseason of replacing the production that they're losing from players like Ugonna Onyenso, Malik Thomas, and Jacari White, while also building on what they already had returning for 2026.

Now that we've gotten a glimpse of what the team looks like during UVA's summer practice period and gathered more information from around the program, it feels like a good time to rank each Cavalier based on how important they'll be to the team's success this season.

All 18 Cavaliers ranked from most to least impactful

1. PG Chance Mallory

2. PF Thijs De Ridder

3. G/F Sam Lewis

4. SG Jurian Dixon

5. C Johann Grünloh

Each member of UVA's starting five will obviously play a large role in the upcoming season, but it all starts with Chance Mallory and Thijs De Ridder. If Mallory can be effective as a full-time starter at point guard, and De Ridder can continue to be a high-level scorer, the Cavaliers should be fine. If not, Virginia's season could get off to a really slow start.

Sam Lewis and Jurian Dixon will also be counted on to provide an offensive boost this year, and Grünloh is expected to make a larger impact in the paint in 2026/2027, particularly in the rebounding department.

6. G/F Jan Vide

7. G/F Christian Harmon

8. PF/C Kalu Anya

9. SF Nolan Adekunle

10. SG Elijah Gertrude

The next five players on the list are expected to be the top rotational or bench options for the Cavaliers this season. Jan Vide will probably act as the backup point guard when Mallory is on the bench, as well as rotating in with the starting unit if Ryan Odom wants to move the ball around more on offense in certain matchups.

Harmon and Adekunle should form an excellent wing tandem off the bench, as both players have displayed a nice blend of offensive and defensive productivity. Kalu Anya could have a surprisingly large role behind De Ridder and Grünloh this season due to his above-average rebounding ability.

Elijah Gertrude has been a well-rounded player for UVA over the past couple of seasons, and he's able to play both shooting guard and small forward at a decently high level in short spurts.

11. PF Silas Barksdale

12. SF Martin Carrere

13. C Favour Ibe

14. CG Desmond Roberts

15. PF/C Carter Lang

Players 11-15 are guys who could be in line for occasional playing time, depending on the opponent. Ryan Odom has been fairly high on Martin Carrere regarding his ability to operate as another ball-handler, which was surprising to hear. The 6'9" stretch forward who followed Odom to UVA from VCU may not see actual point guard minutes unless it's an emergency, but it's still a notable comment that Odom made during a recent press conference.

Silas Barksdale and Desmond Roberts could both be in the equation this season based on the fact that Coach Odom sometimes utilizes a deeper rotation than most, especially against inferior opponents.

Two of the biggest wildcards heading into the 2026/2027 season are Favour Ibe and Carter Lang. Virginia absolutely has to find a backup center before Week One arrives, and Barksdale and Kalu are both more power forward-types than centers. Ibe and Lang have the size, whether that's in the height or weight department, to be effective behind Johann Grünloh.

16. SG Owen Odom

17. PG Quincy Watson

18. SG Nick Rotter

Coach Odom's son Owen, as well as walk-ons Quincy Watson and Nick Rotter, figure to continue developing throughout the year with the goal of providing rotational minutes in the future.

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