Virginia Tech Forward Amani Hansberry Shining At Third Stop

The third-year player previously suited up for Illinois and West Virginia prior to venturing to Blacksburg.

Dec 2, 2025; Columbia, S.C.; Virginia Tech forward Amani Hansberry (13) grabs a rebound over South Carolina guard Eli Ellis (15). | Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

Virginia Tech isn't Amani Hansberry's first new school following a transfer. After spending his freshman year at Illinois, the then-freshman forward moved with Chester Frazier to Morgantown, West Virginia to suit up for the Mountaineers. A year later, Frazier again moved, this time returning to Blacksburg. Hansberry came with him.

Mani with authority 😤‼️

🎙️ @SIRIUSXM Call of the Game pic.twitter.com/BVZfykz2H3

— Virginia Tech Men's Basketball (@HokiesMBB) December 3, 2025

Now at Virginia Tech, Hansberry entered a system that suits his mobility, playmaking instincts and ability to operate in space. So far, he's thrived, producing at a level the Hokies haven't seen in a big since Keve Aluma (2020-2022).

Hansberry thrives because of his facilitation. For a team that prefers to play at a fast and pressing tempo, having a more mobile big is essential, and he fits that mold well. Rather than functioning as a prototypical big who stays anchored in the paint, Hansberry offers versatility. He’s strong and heavy enough to hold his own on the block, but he also moves fluidly, makes smart reads, and keeps the offense connected. His ability to step out, handle the ball in space, and find teammates elevates the pace and opens the floor in ways that traditional post players often can’t.

Hansberry’s value as a connector shows up most clearly in the subtleties of possession-to-possession basketball. His willingness to catch-and-shoot or to pivot into a dribble handoff or action without losing much steam keeps Tech’s tempo intact and prevents defenses from loading up on one side of the floor. That connective presence stabilizes the offense and enhances its rhythm,allowing

"A connector is when something flushes out, an action flushes out, and you can connect that possession," head coach Mike Young explained at the ACC Tipoff in October. "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.

"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."

Young has given Hansberry high praise at multiple points throughout the season, calling his play "outstanding" after the season opener vs. Charleston Southern and "terrific" following the Hokies' 35-point evisceration of Saint Joseph's.

Then, there's Bart Torvik’s advanced metrics, whichj paint a clear picture of just how impactful Hansberry has been. His 4.1 PORPAGATU — a measure of the points a player adds per game above a typical replacement-level player, but adjusted for usage — isn’t just solid. It places him ahead of likely 2026 NBA Draft lottery pick Neoklis Avdalas (2.9) and forward Tobi Lawal, who could be a late second-round selection next June. For a player still settling into a new system, outperforming two of the roster’s most naturally gifted athletes marks just how instrumental Hansberry has been to the team's success.

The story is similar with BPM, which evaluates a player’s overall influence on both ends of the floor. Hansberry’s 6.9 leads the team, again putting him above Johnson and Avdalas. That number reflects not only his scoring and efficiency, but also his activity on the glass, his passing and his ability to anchor possessions, whether on the offensive or defensive en. Most offensive metrics points to the same conclusion: Hansberry has been Virginia Tech’s money-maker.

Hansberry provides consistent value in the margins, the connective tissue that makes good lineups great.

He also is a pick-and-roll maestro. Against South Carolina, a more “grind-it-out” team that ranks No. 256 on Ken Pomeroy’s metrics at the time of writing, Hansberry thrived when the Gamecocks applied on-ball pressure. He was frequently left uncovered on the right block, and he made them pay, rolling up a career-high 22 points while knocking down 10 of his 16 attempts. Hansberry produced whether Hammond or Avdalas initiated the action, consistently timing his rolls, slipping into space and scampering out for clean looks that the South Carolina defense couldn’t recover to contest.

Hansberry also collected 14 rebounds, stepping up in the absence of Tobi Lawal. Without Lawal’s usual presence as a rim-runner and interior anchor, Virginia Tech needed someone to control the glass and finish plays around the rim. Hansberry answered that call, providing the physicality needed.

Hansberry and Virginia Tech will face off next against George Mason on Saturday, Dec. 6 at 5 p.m. ET.