Five Takeaways from Ryan Odom's Summer Press Conference

Scheme-implementation work is underway at JPJ

While the hoops season is still a ways off, UVa’s new staff and roster are hard at work acclimating to life at Virginia. UVa’s staff is spending the summer practice sessions getting the new Hoos up to speed on play expectations and working together to learn the offense and set the pace. Odom said on Tuesday that the staff has spent time showing the players what a good shot looks like, focusing on sharing the basketball, and perhaps the biggest change, playing at a faster pace. Odom described UVa’s pace as up tempo but not reckless, which will be a bit jarring for Cavalier fans come December. Odom also said the staff hasn’t spent time implementing defensive schemes, and their defense work has mostly focused on man defense principles before more installation happens closer to the season. 

Odom said that he’s attempting to throw a lot at the players this summer to see what they can do and allow them to make mistakes, which should help inform decisions to be made later and set up for more success in fall practice. 

Talent is key, but Odom and his staff are working to make his roster into a team.

While there will be a ton of effort put into getting the players ready to implement the staff’s schemes, this group needs to get to know one another, too. None of UVa’s players have ever played for this staff in a college basketball game, and none of them have ever played with one another in a game setting. So over the next few months, Odom and UVa’s staff will work to get this team to get to know each other and the University. 

“You have to steal as many moments as you can, together both on and off the court,” Odom said on Tuesday.

The players have been working with Mike Curtis in the weight room since arriving on Grounds, and have spent a lot of time working out as a group, which should help build camaraderie. Odom said they’re also working to have off-court activities and meal times together, taking advantage of whatever time the roster can spend together ahead of the fall semester. He also mentioned using tours of Grounds to introduce the players to the University and community that they’ll represent this upcoming season.

UVa’s staff prioritized outside shooting in roster building.

It was pretty evident to anyone that dug into UVa’s transfer additions as they committed, but Odom and his staff prioritized adding quality shooters to their first Virginia roster. Odom’s teams typically shoot a good number of threes, which fits the modern approach to coaching the game at this level, and at the pros. UVa added a bunch of good shooters via the portal, with Jacari White, Sam Lewis, Malik Thomas and Devin Tillis no worse than the high 30% range from three last year. Odom specifically said that the goal is to create as much space on the floor as possible, and with the addition of Johann Grunloh, UVa could end up having as many as five players on the floor at a time that can threaten opponents from three. Odom said that he hasn’t had a center that could stretch the floor since his first season at Utah State (2021-22), which should add another dynamic to UVa’s 2025-26 team. 

Virginia’s frontcourt should have a ton of potential.

Odom talked a bit about what UVa has in the frontcourt on the 2025-26 team, and it should be enough to excite the Cavalier fanbase about the season to come. Grunloh arrived on Grounds this week from Germany, having finished his season at Rasta Vechta, and now transitions to college basketball. His skillset fits with the modern game, as a rim protector who can move well and step out and shoot. Speaking of shooting, Odom mentioned that Kansas State transfer Ugonna Onyenso appears to be more than just a shot blocker, and said that the 7-footer has proven to be a better shooter than the staff realized since he arrived at UVa. And of course, UVa is still awaiting the arrival of Belgian forward Thijs De Ridder, who officially announced his commitment to UVa on Monday, and is finalizing his eligibility with the NCAA and should arrive later this summer. 

Between these three additions and incoming freshman Silas Barksdale, UVa appears to have a talented and versatile frontcourt. 

Pitching a modern style of play along with UVa-specific perks is a compelling pitch to recruits and transfers. 

When asked about his recruiting pitch to UVa, either in the portal or with high schoolers, Odom seemed to have a good handle on his hard sell, despite not having been in the job long. Odom said that despite the changes to the sport with NIL and revenue sharing and so on, the sell of UVa remains the same. That the school has value beyond basketball, and sets students, athletes or not, up for a better life. Because of this, Odom’s pitch will be better for players that value education, which has been true for all UVa coaches since athletic programs began at the school. That part of the pitch hasn’t changed much. He also mentioned the value in the community on Grounds, and specifically how alums like Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle, who attended a practice last week, are drawn back to the place long after they’ve left. 

But the part of the pitch that may be a bit different under this new staff, is selling a modern approach to the game. Odom mentioned specifically that his style of play can set players up for an easier transition to the NBA, as the philosophies overlap quite a bit with the pro game. Playing faster, spacing the floor and running modern offense, coupled with the advantages that UVa already has, could be a compelling pitch to top recruits, should Odom get rolling in Charlottesville.