Two Role Players Virginia Tech Men's Basketball Should Lean On

For Virginia Tech men’s basketball, the 2026-27 roster warrants queries about how everything will fit together. Some spots appear more settled than others, while several may depend heavily on development, health and how quickly newcomers adjust. Here's a look at two — technically three — role players I think the Hokies should lean on.

G Tyler Johnson or F Kuol Atak

It depends on whether you categorize Johnson as a starter or not for 2026-27. I think that he slots in as the backup two, but against smaller lineups, you can start him as the three. Atak flashed at points with Oklahoma as a redshirt freshman in 2025-26, averaging 7.0 points per game in just 12.4 minutes, but he'll be asked to take a sizeable role increase in his first year with Virginia Tech.

Johnson will also be coming off a season in which he missed the first 15 ACC games with a lower-body injury. He averaged 8.0 points per game over the course of the season and expecting that over the full course of the 2026-27 campaign should be navigable. With Jailen Bedford (13.0 ppg) gone, Johnson now steps up as the primary lockdown defender in my eyes.

If Johnson can bump his scoring average into the nine- or 10-point range, that would go a long way toward stabilizing the position. And if Atak earns a starting role and provides reliable minutes, Virginia Tech should feel comfortable enough with its small forward play.

F Sin'Cere Jones

I’m hesitant to pencil in Solomon Davis at center for one simple reason: he has yet to play a single minute of collegiate basketball. That does not mean Virginia Tech will not need him. In fact, the Hokies may have to turn to the redshirt freshman at some point, especially if the frontcourt rotation proves thin or if foul trouble becomes an issue. But projecting him as a major piece right away requires a leap of faith.

Amani Hansberry gives Virginia Tech a more proven option, but he does not fit the mold of a traditional starting five. He is more of a roaming forward than a true interior anchor, capable of operating away from the basket and moving around the floor rather than simply planting himself in the paint. While Hansberry can help in multiple areas, he is not necessarily the type of hard-nosed, glass-clearing center who consistently controls the rebounding battle.

Virginia Tech has bodies to work with, but each option comes with a caveat: Davis is unproven, Hansberry is not a conventional five and Heide may still be raw offensively.

That is where Sin’Cere Jones becomes an interesting wrinkle.

While Virginia Tech’s more traditional frontcourt options each come with questions, Jones gives the Hokies a different kind of look at the four. At 6-foot-7 and 230 pounds, he has enough size to slide up a position when the matchup allows it, especially if Virginia Tech wants to play with more mobility and versatility rather than relying strictly on a conventional power forward. That enables Virginia Tech to be more fluid with its lineup construction.

Add us as a preferred source on Google