Two Things We’ve Learned About The Virginia Basketball Roster, Two Things We Still Don’t Know

The Virginia basketball roster is not yet complete for the 2026-2027 season, but they do have seven players who will be on the roster next season. Let’s take a quick look at what we learned with the current roster so far and a couple of things we still don’t know.

Two things we learned

1. The core of the team is still intact

Bringing back Thijs De Ridder, Johann Grünloh, Sam Lewis, and Chance Mallory were huge pluses for the Cavaliers program, but they didn’t stop there. Head coach Ryan Odom also brought back Silas Barksdale, Martin Carrerre, and Elijah Gertrude. The three players I mentioned had limited playing time in 2025-2026 for Coach Odom and could have easily hit the portal to play for someone who would give them more playing time. However, they decided to stay, which shows they believe in Coach Odom and the Virginia program for their success. With the core of this team coming back that won 30 games a season ago, it bodes well for the success of the Cavaliers and what they can accomplish in 2026-2027. The cohesion, camaraderie, and togetherness will only help this team move forward.

2. Growth and development will be at a premium

As we alluded to in our previous point, of the majority of the team coming back and staying intact, now you have the opportunity for growth across the roster. Thijs De Ridder was an All-ACC player last season and has a chance to continue to raise his stock and potentially be a top draft pick if he can build on last season for the Cavaliers. Johann Grünloh sits in that same spot, and if he can add an offensive bag to his already great all-around game, he will be a problem in the interior. Sam Lewis already has the shooting prowess, but if he can become a better defender and more of a facilitator, that will fully unlock his ability. Mallory will get the chance to be the starting point guard for the Cavaliers. We already know Mallory can hit big buckets in the clutch, but now he is making the right plays all the time and continuing to get more of a consistent three-point shot that can take his name to the next level. For Barksdale, Carrerre and Gertrude, it is all about finding ways to add to their game and get more minutes on the floor. Their growth is also paramount because it is likely that Coach Odom won’t add a whole bunch from the portal. So their growth and development will be invaluable to the team and its success. We learned that Coach Odom is prioritizing development with this roster instead of getting a bunch of plug-and-play players.

Two things we still don’t know

1. Depth

There is still concern around the depth of the team and the program as they are currently constructed. They only have seven players on the roster and still have eight roster spots to be filled. The Hoos will need more depth at the guard, forward, and center positions to have success in 2026. While the transfer portal is closed officially, we are still unsure of whom the Cavaliers will add to fill out the depth of the roster and players who can come in and contribute next season. I think this will continue to be a question until we see more signings.

2. How good will the shooting be?

On one hand, we saw a great shooting effort by Sam Lewis this past season, nailing 40.3% of his three-point shots for the Cavaliers, and he is the best shooter coming back to the team. However, as a team, the Hoos only shot 35.9% from the field. That is an area of concern as presently constructed because some of their better shooters have left, in Jacari White (43%) and Devin Tillis (37.5%). With no additions in the portal, Virginia only has one player on the current roster who shot over 40% last season. The Cavaliers will need to bring in another shooter to help balance out things for this roster and help with the floor spacing. If Virginia can improve its shooting, it makes them that much better.

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