The Virginia Cavaliers tipped off the Ryan Odom era on Monday night with a resounding 87-53 win over Rider inside John Paul Jones Arena. Odom left no stone unturned in his first offseason as he built UVA’s 2025-26 roster from scratch, and it was his new pair of European big men — Thijs De Ridder and Johann Grünloh — who led the ’Hoos in scoring in game one.
De Ridder, a 6-foot-9, 238-pound forward from Brasschaat, Belgium, finished his Virginia debut with 21 points (10-14 FG, 1-2 3PT), 10 rebounds,
and two assists, dominating in the paint against an undersized, overmatched Rider frontcourt.
“On his team overseas, [De Ridder] was not the go-to guy,” Odom said of his forward’s transition to collegiate basketball. “So, that’s new for him. In this particular game, we felt it was important in the first half to establish that and to get him the ball as much as we could. They were going to be in that zone, and we wanted to try to establish him down low.”
Viewed by some as a potential second-round pick had he entered the NBA draft, De Ridder immediately began making the most of his opportunity to be a focal point of the Cavaliers’ offense. Using his broad frame to bully Rider down low, De Ridder showed off an arsenal of well-developed post moves, while also putting his solid handle on display with a willingness to attack the basket off the dribble.
“He did a really nice job of when they didn’t double, scoring [or] getting fouled. [And] when they did double, getting it out — we got some quality looks from that,” Odom said. “So, I was impressed with his overall game.”
Despite his classification as a freshman, it wouldn’t be surprising to see De Ridder test the NBA draft waters after this season. For the time being, however, Virginia has a skilled yet imposing low-post bruiser the likes of which hasn’t been seen at JPJ in recent memory.
“I’ve been playing against much older and stronger guys overseas,” De Ridder said. “So, I think that helped me a lot today. But if I want to push myself to the next level, I have to keep doing this. I did a couple of NBA workouts last summer and the summer before and they always said ‘if you go to college we can compare you with other guys who are going for the draft.’ I want to show myself and prove I’m ready for the NBA. That’s my biggest dream, so that’s why I chose this path.”
As for Grünloh, the 7-foot center from Loningen, Germany, flashed his diverse game with 12 points (4-7 FG, 0-2 3PT), seven rebounds, and three blocks in his debut. Grünloh got his UVA career started with an emphatic dunk late in the first half, driving the baseline after collecting his own offensive rebound off a missed three-point attempt.
The quickness and athleticism on display highlight the unique skill set that Grünloh brings to the table. With a bag reminiscent of that of Virginia legend Jay Huff, the big German was also appearing as a late second-rounder on a handful of mock drafts before committing to Odom and the Cavaliers.
Though he missed his pair of attempts from beyond the arc on Monday, Grünloh has a smooth outside release that will stretch opposing defenses all season to pair with his refined low-post footwork.
Grünloh and De Ridder will have a golden opportunity to build on their impressive starts on Friday night against an NC Central squad that features just two players who are 6-foot-8 or taller. Look for the ’Hoos to play through their pair of imposing Euros once again, as Coach Odom continues to try to get De Ridder and Grünloh used to being go-to options.
