For the second time in three seasons, Virginia Tech men's basketball coach Mike Young is seeing another exodus out of the Transfer Portal in Blacksburg. This time, however, the veteran coach has been able to get some key retention from Amani Hansberry, Ben Hammond, and Tyler Johnson.
As far as players leaving, it is a mixture of inside players and some wings. Replacing some of the players won't be easy, while the case could be made that replacing some others will. Regardless, Young and his staff have work to do through the portal, and they picked up their first commitment on Sunday.
Virginia Tech lands Oklahoma forward Kuol Atka from the Transfer Portal
Joe Tipton of On3 reported on Sunday morning that Oklahoma forward Kuol Atka committed to the Hokies. According to Rivals Industry Rankings, Atka was the 114th-ranked overall recruit in the Class of 2024 cycle. The Texas native received offers from SMU, TCU, Texas, and Oklahoma State before settling in on the Sooners.
The 6-foot-9 Atka averaged 12.4 minutes this past season for Oklahoma and seven points a game in 24 games. He can shoot the ball from the outside, something that Young covets. He shot 47% from the field and 41% from behind the arc. Like most shooters, once he got hot, he kept shooting.
A redshirt sophomore, Atka played 27 minutes and tallied 16 points in a 90-86 win over Colorado in the quarterfinals of the College Basketball Crown earlier this month. He had five points in a semifinal win over Baylor, 82-69.
Atka cracked double figures seven times this past season for the Sooners, which included a season-high 24 points against Mississippi Valley State in December. He had 18 points and shot 6-for-7 from behind the arc in a February win over Georgia, 94-78, in a key SEC matchup.
You can keep up with all the Transfer Portal activity for the Hokies here this cycle.