When the Virginia Tech men's basketball team began the season, the expectations were not high. One of the reasons why was because of all the turnover that veteran coach Mike Young went through with the transfer portal and players who used up all of their eligibility.
With players leaving through the portal, that meant players needed to come in through the portal, and Young did a good job at finding some players. One of those players was VCU transfer Tobi Lawal. He ended up being one of the better players for the Hokeis this year as his athleticism was on display on a nightly basis.
He ended up finishing averaging 12.4 points a game and a lot of those baskets were dunks off of alley-oops and beating his defender off the dribble and throwing one down with authority, as he did for the opening basket of Tuesday's ACC Tournament first round game against Cal.
After the game, Young and Lawal met with the media and Lawal, who hails from London, England, didn't sugarcoat things. In fact, he had a funny, but accurate take on the expectations the Hokies had this year and how it ended up going.
Virginia Tech forward Tobi Lawal has a funny, but thruthful take on the Hokies 2024-25 season
After the 82-73 double overtime loss to the Golden Bears to end the season at 13-19, in the most disappointing seasons in the last decade, Lawal had this to say.
"My team, I'm proud of how far we came,'' Lawal said. "What did they have us in the preseason? Maybe 14th or 15th? They thought we were going to be ass. I mean, we were still ass but, you know, we weren't that bad. You know what I'm saying? We beat expectations.''
That's an all-timer. Saying that they beat expectations is an understatement. The job Young did this year with his staff is stuff that needs to be recognized with at least one vote for Coach of the Year. Not many people even thought that they would finish in the top 15 to qualify for the ACC Tournament.
Yes, they were ass, but they were also young. If Mike Young can get some retention and the rumored bigger NIL package, then things will be different next season. They won't be ass.