Virginia Tech Basketball Faces Roster Overhaul

Hokies must rebuild through transfer portal after multiple key players depart

Apr. 6, 2026 at 3:53pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting fragmented elements of a college basketball game, with sharp planes of navy, maroon, and grey colors representing the complex roster changes facing the Virginia Tech Hokies.Virginia Tech's roster upheaval exposes the challenges of rebuilding a competitive college basketball program through the transfer portal.Blacksburg Today

Like last year, the majority of Virginia Tech's 2026-27 basketball roster will be constructed through the transfer portal, as four players have already pledged to enter the portal. The Hokies currently hold just seven players on scholarship, leaving them in a vulnerable position heading into the offseason.

Why it matters

Virginia Tech has missed the NCAA Tournament for four straight seasons, and the latest departures will make it increasingly difficult to build a competitive roster for the upcoming campaign. The Hokies must find a way to retain key players while also replenishing the roster through the transfer market.

The details

Four Virginia Tech players - guard Izaiah Pasha, wing Neoklis Avdalas, center Christian Gurdak and guard Jaden Schutt - have already announced plans to enter the transfer portal. The Hokies currently have just seven players on scholarship, including Amani Hansberry, Ben Hammond, Tyler Johnson, Sin'Cere Jones, Antonio Dorn, Brett Freeman and Solomon Davis. Virginia Tech did not sign any high school recruits and will likely rely heavily on the transfer portal to fill out its 2026-27 roster, similar to last season.

  • The transfer portal officially opens tomorrow (April 7, 2026).
  • Virginia Tech's 2026-27 season begins in early November.

The players

Amani Hansberry

A senior guard who is one of the few returning players on Virginia Tech's roster.

Mike Young

The head coach of the Virginia Tech men's basketball team.

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What they’re saying

“Not the outcome we were looking for or expected. Held out hope that we could get Amani [Hansberry] well. ... When we got to Charlotte, we didn't do a lot with him in practice. I was encouraged [the day of the game]. But once we got over here and tried to rev him up at the hotel on our way over, it was apparent that he wasn't going to be able to do it. So, we had to sit him. That's a tremendous loss, needless to say. Not the story of the game. The story of the game is Wake Forest played a little bit better than we did.”

— Mike Young, Head Coach, Virginia Tech Men's Basketball

What’s next

Virginia Tech's 2026-27 season is scheduled to begin in early November with games against Coppin State, Old Dominion, UMES and VMI.

The takeaway

Virginia Tech faces a significant roster overhaul heading into the 2026-27 season, as the Hokies must replace multiple key contributors through the transfer portal. After missing the NCAA Tournament for four straight years, the pressure is on for Virginia Tech to quickly rebuild a competitive roster and return to the Big Dance.