NBA Draft: Neoklis Avdalas Ignites for 30-Point Outing

On Thursday night, the Virginia Tech Hokies took on the Western Carolina Catamounts, meaning guard Neoklis Avdalas was one of just a few draft prospects to play on the night. With potentially more eyes on him than normal, he issued another one of the best performances we’ve seen in the cycle.

Across his 33 minutes, he went for 30 points on 10-for-17 shooting, hitting four of his eight attempted triples while adding three rebounds, two assists, two blocks and a steal.

The game was reminiscent of an earlier performance in which he went for 33 points against provident, adding six assists and five rebounds while shooting 5-for-8 from beyond the arc. His passing and play-making took a backseat, though to this point NBA decision-makers would likely rather see scoring consistency.

He hit smooth and projectable 3-pointers, got downhill plenty, and even received contact, shooting eight free throws on the night. His defense has been fairly steady throughout, and Thursday's game was no different.

The performance was much-needed for Avdalas, who had seen several lesser scoring outings in a row. He scored just six points on seven shots in his last game, seeing up-and-down production in the scoring department.

Regardless of the in between games, it’s clear Avdalas’s ceiling is high. While most scouts and decision-makers will value the full body of work more than a handful of games, others will see potential waiting to be tapped into with consistency.

At 6-foot-9, Avdalas offers an intriguing skillset for a guard. He has the size to see over defense, and the handling ability to navigate around the court and create angles. Heading into Thursday's game, he averaged 5.1 assists per game to just 1.7 turnovers, making him one of if not the top passer play-maker in the class.

With two 30-point games now under his belt, the vision of what he can be as a scorer is certainly there, though the actual output raises questions. The former Greek pro came into Thursday averaging just under 13 points per game, doing so on 42% shooting.

Avdalas is certain to have his NBA suitors at the '26 draft, though for now, he's looking more like a late-first flier than the potential lottery pick he was billed as.

Scouts will continue to monitor him closely through conference play, as competition ramps up in the ACC. With a strong late-season surge, he could certainly work himself back to lottery talks.