As a frustrating 2024-25 men's basketball season was coming down the home stretch for Virginia Tech last March, word filtered out that head coach Mike Young was going to have a bigger NIL package to work with for the 2025-26 season.
After being bounced from the ACC Tournament on the first day by California, the Hokies' season ended at 13-19, and Young vowed that things were going to be better. They really couldn't get any worse, and to be fair, getting his team to the ACC Tournament was a feat within itself last winter.
Young had some big roster turnover and brought back some key players from last year's team. Some players were added through the portal, and in the late spring, Virginia Tech picked up a huge commitment from freshman Neoklis Avdalas. All of a sudden, the vibes were feeling different in Blacksburg. On Tuesday, CBS Sports insider Jon Rothstein stopped by practice and had a positive outlook after watching the session.
CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein has a exciting outlook for the Hokeis men's basketball team in 2025-26
With the college basketball season just over a month away from starting, that means one thing: Rothstein is traveling the country to different practices. After stopping at Virginia Tech, he thinks the Hokies are a potential NCAA Tournament team this year.
ROTHSTEIN REACTION: VIRGINIA TECH. pic.twitter.com/9rS7pFSD5D
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) September 30, 2025
Why? He mentioned the addition of West Virginia transfer Amani Hansberry and the addition of Avdalas, who is expected to be a first-round pick in next June's NBA Draft. Young met with the media last week, and he sounded different from how he has in years past. He sounded like someone who is excited more than ever for the upcoming season and knows he has a talented roster that will compete night in and night out.
The ACC has been a conference that has struggled to get as many bids to the NCAA Tournament as they have, but Rothstein said in a tweet about the Hokies that the conference needs to get six bids this year, and don't be surprised if the Hokies are one of those six teams. It's long overdue.