Mike Young and Virginia Tech are inching closer to securing program-changing recruit

The Virginia Tech men's basketball team has once again had a roster turnover after a frustrating 2024-25 season. Veteran coach Mike Young has three players added through the transfer portal, along with some incoming freshmen.

One player who took a visit to Virginia Tech was Neoklis Avdalas from Greece. Earlier this month, he gave Young a verbal commitment if he withdrew from the NBA Draft process. On Sunday, Jonathan Givony reported on his X account that Avdalas was withdrawing from the NBA Draft, and if he's true to his word, will be headed to Blacksburg for next season.

Virginia Tech closing in on securing a big-time recruit in Neoklis Avdalas

The 19-year-old Avdalas stands at 6-foot-8 and 187 pounds, and if he lands at Virginia Tech, he would be one of the bigger incoming freshmen recruits the Hokies have had in some time. After going through the NBA Draft process, according to Givony, Avdalas was a projected second-round pick, but he is a strong college season away from being a first-round pick.

Now, a verbal commitment is one thing, but nothing is official until he signs. He's expected to go to Virginia Tech, but could another program come out of nowhere and offer him a bag of money, more than Young can, and swipe him and get him to flip his commitment? Absolutely, but you would have to think that money was already discussed and have an idea of what he'll get in Blacksburg.

In this day and age of college sports, anything is possible until signatures make things official, but as of now, the Hokies may have just updated their roster big-time, and if health is good, there is no reason why they couldn't be an NCAA Tournament team next March. Again, nothing is official until he signs, but this is a huge development in Blacksburg.