Three things we want to hear from Ryan Odom at ACC Tipoff

Virginia's head coach takes the stage in Charlotte, N.C.

Mar 19, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Virginia Cavaliers head coach Ryan Odom conducts a press conference during a practice session ahead of the first round of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Basketball season is almost here. ACC media days are beginning, and the whole conference will converge on Charlotte, N.C. to field questions and participate in ACC events.

Virginia will be represented by Coach Ryan Odom, along with Chance Mallory, Thijs De Ridder, Sam Lewis and Johann Grunloh. The Cavaliers are the only team with more than four individuals representing.

This will be Odom's first official ACC appearance of the 2026-27 campaign — here are three things we would like to hear from Virginia's head coach.

How have the new additions (and lineups) gelled?

While the Cavaliers feature rare continuity, the new players will still be pivotal. German wing Nolan Adekunle will start, and he has to adjust to both life and playstyle stateside. There are also crucial reserves like Jan Vide, who figures to see crucial minutes as the backup point guard.

More importantly, what do the five-man sets look like? Could there be small ball lineups or bigger packages? How does the facilitation look if Mallory takes a breather? There are lot of intriguing options, and player fit will be paramount.

Insight on the bench situation

Virginia has a good problem — there are too many promising options to be part of the bench rotation. It is unlikely that all of Jurian Dixon, Christian Harmon, Vide, Elijah Gertrude, Kalu Anya, Silas Barksdale, Martin Carrere and Favour Ibe see consistent minutes every night.

Odom has usually kept his rotations around nine players. This year, though, there is a case to be made for expanding that up to 13. Most likely, that number is lower. The high-end starters need to get a bulk of the minutes. Maybe Odom tinkers with the rotations for the first few weeks of the season to see who can be a reliable defender and shooter.

What's going on off the court?

Last year, Malik Thomas and Dallin Hall played crucial leadership roles. It will be interesting to hear about leadership from Odom's perspective. Perhaps Mallory has stepped into that void, or maybe one of the international vets like De Ridder or Grunloh.

Another off-court subject — what are the developments in terms of team bonding? Odom has assigned readings, and taken the team on DC trips, but additional information could provide insight into this new 2026-27 team. Player outings are frequent (just ask bowling champion Jacari White), but perhaps there are some hiddens stories that have yet to be revealed.