Everything From Virginia Tech HC Mike Young At ACC Tipoff On Tuesday

Virginia Tech men's basketball head coach Mike Young spoke to the media at the ACC Tipoff on Tuesday, Oct. 7.

Virginia Tech Athletics

Virginia Tech men's basketball head coach Mike Young spoke to the media at the ACC Tipoff today; here's the entirety of what Coach Young had to say:

making our rounds 🎬💡👀 pic.twitter.com/lnLu9TDggm

— Virginia Tech Men's Basketball (@HokiesMBB) October 7, 2025

Opening Statement:

"It's a pleasure to be in Charlotte, and I am thankful for our league office and this event and for members of the media that are here to cover. It's good to see everyone. Hard to believe it's about that time of year again. We're excited in Blacksburg. I've got a really good team. Those of you that have covered our team through 24 years as a head coach, I'm not much on bravado. I'm not much on -- I'm an undersell-overserve person, but my excitement is brimming with this team. These three guys up here have a lot to do with that in Amani Hansberry, Jailen Bedford, Tobi Lawal and others back home. We have really good depth. We have good positional size. We've got good skill people. Amani as an offensive connector at the five spot is quite interesting to me. Is as good as I've had at that spot since Keve Aluma, and you guys know what a great player he was in our league. Aluma does some things better than Amani; Amani does some things better than Aluma; but take nothing away from either one of them. They're both really, really good players. Neo Avdalas will be a good player for us. It was important for me to retain Ben Hammond, Tyler Johnson, Tobi Lawal, and Jaden Schutt. And through greater resources and, you know, some other things that went into we were able to do that, and I'm thankful. All four of those men have come back bigger and stronger and more efficient and more comfortable within how we want to play. I think a lot of each one of those men, and I'm glad they're in Hokie uniforms. Izaiah Pasha is doing very well for us. I think we could possibly, quite possibly, play nine, maybe ten. I said to somebody earlier, we need to have a team that continues to improve as we go along. We need for the pieces to fit. We need a little luck. I think a little luck in any athletic endeavor is important."

On Pasha and his versatility:

"Well, the obvious. He's got great size for a guard. I'm going to play him off the ball some. I think it's healthy. You better have two and a half point guards. I've got three with Avdalas, Pasha, and Ben Hammond. Ben Hammond and Neo are going to play a lot together. Neo is going to play a lot with Bedford. Ben is going to play a lot with Bedford, Jaden Schutt, and others. I'm looking forward to seeing how that evolves, but Izaiah Pasha, specific to your question, is a good basketball player. He was well-coached at Delaware. We were fortunate to get him out of the transfer portal. You know, a work in progress, but a young man we think a lot of and have high hopes for."

On Bedford:

"Mark, you know what stands out to me? He's been around a long time. He was at junior college for two years I think, Oral Roberts, and then Vegas. Old guys want to win. I've been incredibly impressed and pleased with his willingness to be coached. He wants to help the team. He's a really good player, very dynamic with the ball. He's got a lot of attributes. Not the least of which he is our best on-ball defender, and that's going to keep him on the floor a lot. He really does a nice job on the ball, guarding the ball. He has to get a little bit better away from the ball, but that is making strides as we move along. Tomorrow will be practice number 12. Jailen Bedford is a really good player, Mark, and happy he's in Blacksburg."

Q: You mentioned your 24 years of head coaching experience. Have you ever had a roster where not a single player is in his third or fourth year in the program?

"No, no. David, I walked through these halls out here, and I see all these different schools and players representing these schools, and I don't know him, and I don't know him, and I don't know him. I will very, very soon, but indicative of the times that we're living through. Not that it's great, not that it's bad. It's just where we are. I know those young people, as our guys are, are excited to represent their schools, and it's going to be a great league. I think the Atlantic Coast Conference -- I think all of us would agree, the Atlantic Coast Conference has to be better and is going to be. I am familiar with some of the rosters that are much improved from a year ago. I certainly think that we are in that group. We're excited about our chances."

On Amani Hansberry and what allows him to help VT play inside-out as a facilitator:

"That's a great question. I need to be more thorough with my response. A connector, David, is when something flushes out, an action flushes out, and you can connect that possession. Whether that shot clock is at 18, 16, 14, wherever it may be. You can run a player, okay, preferably a post player, preferably Amani Hansberry-type player, to any point on the floor and get him the ball and you can connect it. There's a backup, there's a dribble handoff, there's a zoom action. He is an exceptional communicator, and that's not always just on the defensive end of the floor. That's as important and as integral to your offensive success, the communication piece, on that end of the floor, and he does a great job of that and continues to get better. That's what I mean when I say connected, and he does a really good job with that. Thanks, everybody."