Although the Virginia Cavaliers are suiting up for basketball season with an almost entirely new roster, the transfer portal means most players are not new to college sports. The most unique player circumstance,
however, is “freshman” Thijs De Ridder.
De Ridder comes with unmatched experience
The 22-year old Belgium forward is coming off several years in professional European basketball. Most recently, De Ridder spent the last two seasons (2023-2025) with Surne Bilbao Basket in Spain’s Liga Endesa and has represented Belgium in the European Championship. He was the latest official addition to Virginia’s roster, after committing in June and waiting on the NCAA to approve his eligibility bid in mid-July.
In his preseason presser, Odom reflected beyond the advantage of De Ridder’s experience, and spoke of De Ridder as an aggressive asset to the team.
“He’s kind of a bully. I love the way he plays. He plays with passion and emotion,” Odom said. “He’s a tough guy. We certainly need him and expect him to step forward here at Virginia.”
De Ridder as a diverse offensive threat
For Odom and the Cavaliers, the wait was worth it. Now granted two years of NCAA eligibility, De Ridder brings pedigree to this Wahoo roster. The 6-foot-9 and 238-pound forward averaged 9.3 points and 4.8 rebounds last season for Surne Bilbao basket. But he’s more than a put-back guy. While he shot 50.2% from the field, his 39.1% from beyond the arc makes him a particularly valuable big man who can stretch the Virginia offense.
And, with his height and fast release, he drains even the contested three’s.
De Ridder’s more than just a tall shooter. He can handle the ball better than most bigs, often taking off on a fast break down court. His footwork down low makes him hard to defend and, when he’s not on the block, he can take the drive down the lane for a nasty dunk.
Odom is right: De Ridder plays with fire. De Ridder isn’t afraid of his height. He uses it. In last week’s Villanova scrimmage, De Ridder led the team with four made free-throws – drawing fouls consistently and converting at the line. At 6-foot-9 and 238 pounds, De Ridder carries some strength to him. Still, with his versatility, he may rotate from the high post to the wing, instead of the traditional five position post-player.
With centers in Johann Gruenloh and Ugonna Onyenso, De Rider will almost entirely play power forward. In Odom’s system, he’ll be constant moving threat that’s hard to guard.
Plus, he plays with confidence. Where Virginia was previously known to be an extremely modest team (almost to a fault), De Ridder will bring a necessary spark. While his footage shows that he’s an effective good team player working within an offense, he may have an early-season adjustment period to not only American college ball, but to the new system at Virginia where he was the last to join.
