Virginia basketball is becoming a pipeline to the pro level

Preparing players for the NBA and beyond should help Odom's future recruiting.

Malik Thomas drives by a defender en route to an 87-53 victory over Rider | 247 Sports

Aside from championship banners, the best thing a college basketball coach can produce is a long list of former players who go on to compete professionally.

The NCAA has always been a de facto minor league system for the NBA, NFL and Major League Baseball. Now, NIL money and direct payment make college athletes professional apprentices who earn while they learn.

Virginia hasn't experienced much postseason success since winning the 2019 national championship, but both Tony Bennett and Ryan Odom have shown an ability to prepare their players for next-level opportunities.

Odom's first pro class

Mar 19, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Virginia Cavaliers center Ugonna Onyenso (33) shoots during a practice session ahead of the first round of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Four of the five players who joined the first edition of Odom's program and subsequently exhausted their eligibility are now making a bid to play professionally. Center Ugonna Onyenso was recently drafted by the NBA's Detroit Pistons, while guard Malik Thomas will play for the Toronto Raptors' summer league team this week in Las Vegas. Guards Jacari White and Devin Tillis signed with professional teams in Belgium and Finland, respectively.

Only point guard Dallin Hall is not on that list.

None of the other four came to Virginia as a surefire pro prospect. They had been role players at their former schools, or big fish in smaller ponds. Each developed his skills significantly in 12 short months working with Odom and his staff -- none more so than Onyenso, who blossomed from a backup center at Kentucky and Kansas State to an elite rim protector and capable scorer.

That's the sort of thing that players notice when they're choosing a coach and a program, whether it's coming out of high school or within the NCAA transfer portal. Who can get me ready for a chance at the big leagues?

This is not a new phenomenon at Virginia, either. In his 15 years in charge, Bennett developed a reputation for defense, winning, and player development -- thanks in no small part to former strength and conditioning coach Mike Curtis, who himself recently left for a job with the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies.

At the end of the most recent season, the Cavaliers counted 32 alumni as active professional basketball players. Seven (Ryan Dunn, Anthony Gill, Sam Hauser, Jay Huff, De'Andre Hunter, Ty Jerome, and Trey Murphy III) were drawing NBA paychecks, and Reese Beekman was in the G League. The others were spread around the globe in 20 foreign countries.

Onyenso, Thomas, White and Tillis hope to add their names to that list. Nothing is guaranteed, but they have their feet in the door -- and an opportunity all players dream of.

Players notice that. And at the top programs, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy that makes recruiting easier. This year's newcomers -- Christian Harmon, Jurian Dixon, Kalu Anya, Jan Vide and Nolan Adekunle -- can see what's possible with work, discipline and a bit of good fortune. And both high school hotshots and current college players who will consider the portal next spring are likely to keep Virginia on their list.

It's not automatic. Odom and his staff often prefer players who fit their system over five-star talents who don't. But Virginia's track record of becoming a pipeline to the pros figures to keep the system humming for the foreseeable future.