After Neoklis Avdalas' Exit, What Does Virginia Tech's Potential 2026-27 Starting Lineup Look Like?

Though Neoklis Avdalas' impending entry into the transfer portal was not unexpected, Virginia Tech men's basketball still finds itself in a pickle as it sorts through what its plans for the 2026-27 season will be.

NEWS: Virginia Tech's Neoklis Avdalas will enter the transfer portal, agent Alex Saratsis tells DraftExpress.

The 6'9 Greek guard averaged 12.1 points, 4.6 assists as a freshman in the ACC. pic.twitter.com/ICllHdnE5c
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) March 27, 2026

With Avdalas' exit, here's how I think the Hokies' first five on the court could look like for 2026-27, drawing only from the returning prospects:

PG: Ben Hammond

Hammond averaged a team-high 14.9 points per game in conference play, anchoring Virginia Tech in conference play and generally playing wiser than his years. He ended off the season with point totals of 12, 16, 11, 21 and 23. In the final three games of the season, Hammond averaged 18.3 points per game.

Though he couldn't sink the near-time-expiring floater to carry Virginia Tech to a victory over Wake Forest in the ACC Tournament, he was the strongest Hokie over the course of the season.

Hammond's evolution was noticeable. Hammond strated in the final 15 games of the season after makign three spot starts in the first 17 contests. Moreover, he produced five games with 20 points or more in league play.

SG: Jaden Schutt

Schutt primarily came off the bench as a sparkplug option in his second year with Virginia Tech, but operating with the 2025-26 roster minus outgoing transfers, Schutt slots in as the most experienced option. Jailen Bedford would slot in as my two-guard; however, the lack of clarity around his eligibility status and previous precedence makes me think Virginia Tech will need to replace his production.

The Hokies should presumably have looking for a defense-heavy two-guard atop their list of priorities, but Schutt starting is solid.

SF: Tyler Johnson

The jack-of-all-trades was sorely missed during the 15 games that he was absent from Virginia Tech's rotation. From Dec. 20, Johnson did not play for two-plus months, finally returning to the court against then-No. 18 North Carolina for two minutes. In the last three games of the season, Johnson logged three, four and six points.

Disregarding Johnson's last four games, which were when he was returning from his ankle injury, he averaged 9.5 points before going out in late December.

Johnson slots in as a reliable three for Virginia Tech, and would likely have manned that spot for the season's duration had he not been injured.

PF: Amani Hansberry

Alongside the retention of Hammond and Christian Gurdak, the question of whether Hansberry returns to Virginia Tech for the 2026-27 season will be one of the most interesting subplots of the offseason for the Hokies.

Virginia Tech will undergo an initial layer of change without Tobi Lawal in the fold, and losing Hansberry would

If Hansberry returns, he would be the team's highest-rated returner in both points per game (14.3) and rebounds per game (7.4). Hansberry served as the primary connector for Virginia Tech's offense, and when he exited, that connectivity faltered, especially in the Hokies' 95-89 season-ending loss to Wake Forest in the first round of the ACC Tournament.

C: Christian Gurdak

The effectiveness of Gurdak depends on two factors. The first was already stated, which is if Hansberry comes back. The second concerns Gurdak himself, in regard to his development.

In 31 games, Gurdak started 10 contests, averaging 5.6 points and 4.4 rebounds. Against then-No. 21 Virginia, the center totaled career-highs in both points (17) and rebounds (19). If Gurdak can evolve his game into a more polished defensive rebounder and a more potent scorer, Virginia Tech could be well-positioned for a solid season in 2026-27.