Virginia Tech basketball mass exodus continues with fifth transfer portal entry

It's becoming clear that the Virginia Tech men's basketball team is going to have a much different-looking roster when the 2024-25 season begins next November. In the last 24 hours, three members who have eligibility remaining entered the transfer portal and late Wednesday afternoon, a fourth member entered the portal.

Guard MJ Collins will become the fourth Hokies player from this year's team to enter the transfer portal, joining center Lynn Kidd, forward John Camden, and point guard Sean Pedulla. With Hunter Cattoor and Robbie Beran out of eligibility, this means Virginia Tech coach Mike Young is going to have to replace his whole starting five next season. Not ideal.

Virginia Tech portal exodus continues with MJ Collins

As the season went along, Collins became one of the better Hokies scorers behind Kidd and Pedulla. His 3-point shot improved, he was able to put the ball on the floor, get to the basket, and finish, as well as becoming one of the better defenders for Young. In 28 games this season, he averaged 7.4 points a game and a lot of that came in the second half of the season when he had five double-digit games during that stretch.

A native of South Carolina, it wouldn't be surprising to see him end up at South Carolina in the SEC. Along with Kidd, Camden, Pedulla, and Collins, Rodney Rice, who left the Virginia Tech program last October before the season started also hit the portal last week and recently committed to Maryland.

Following the NIT loss at Ohio State Saturday night, one look at the roster and you thought that Young had a good nucleus returning in Pedulla and Collins and if Kidd decided to come back for one more season, then the foundation was there to build around. Instead, the roster is getting gutted and Young will have to work hard in the portal to build a competitive roster. Here's hoping the incoming freshmen don't have a change of heart anytime soon before they get to Blacksburg.