Since the season ended for the Virginia Tech men's basketball team last month, there have been a lot of questions surrounding the future of the program. The biggest question was who was going to leave and who was going to stay with eligibility left.
Over the last week plus, the Hokies and head coach Mike Young have seen some players enter the Transfer Portal. Some of them were not surprising, like freshman Neoklis Avdalas, as well as junior Jaden Schutt. There were some players that the Virignia Tech needed to retain that Young was successful in retaining the top 3.
Mike Young hits gold in terms of retention for 2026-27 season at Virginia Tech
If you asked anyone after it was announced that the Hokies were declining an NIT, which Virginia Tech needed to retain, the answers would have been obvious. Amani Hansberry, Tyler Johnson, and Ben Hammond. Word leaked earlier this week that Hansberry was returning, then on Wednesday, it was announced that Johnson was returning. Thursday, Young completed the hat trick with Hammond returning.
— Ben Hammond (@theb3nhammond) April 9, 2026
Young retained exactly who he needed to. Hammond, Hansberry and Johnson were hands down the three most important players that needed to return. Now, it's all about rebuilding the rest of the roster through the Transfer Portal.
Young needs a true big man, another wing, and a forward. A true two-guard with experience to pair with Hammond is a must. Getting a true center to play alongside Hansberry needs to be another focal point through the portal. It is unlikely that Jailen Bedford will be back, but if he looks for an extra season from the NCAA, then that would be huge.
There is no doubt that the Hokies were a tournament team this past season, but some tough and, really, some inexcusable losses cost them. If Young can build the roster around the returning players, then maybe they can make a run toward a tournament berth next March.