With head coach Ryan Odom at the helm, Virginia basketball is set to enter a brand new era with one of its most exciting frontcourt duos in recent memory. Odom brought in two highly anticipated prospects
who could’ve taken chances at the NBA Draft in Thijs De Ridder and Johann Grünloh.
While both Grünloh and De Ridder are listed as freshmen, the duo doesn’t lack high-level experience. The 22-year-old De Ridder joins the ‘Hoos after starting for the past two seasons with Bilbao Basket in the professional Spanish league, Liga ACB.
The 19-year-old Grünloh played for RASTA Vechta in the Bundesliga. De Ridder, a Belgian, and the German Grünloh also played for their respective U20 national teams. In 2023, De Ridder helped lead Belgium to the FIBA U20 European Championship while averaging 16.9 points per game.
De Ridder joined the ‘Hoos with two seasons of eligibility, while Grünloh was allowed all four years.
Let’s dig into the skill the ‘Hoos have at their frontcourt’s disposal:
Starters
Thijs De Ridder
The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 9.3 points and 4.3 rebounds per game last season with Bilbao Basket, while converting 50.2 percent of his shots from the field. He played 20.7 minutes per game. During last week’s exhibition, a 75-72 win against Villanova, De Ridder played at the four position and scored eight points and picked up eight rebounds. He also led the team with four converted free throws.
De Ridder is an explosive, all-around scorer who can score points on all three levels of the court. His most beneficial attribute is likely his slashing ability, but there aren’t many aspects of his game that are significantly superior or inferior to others. Coming into this season listed at 238 pounds, it’s perfectly reasonable to describe De Ridder as a “bruiser.” He possesses the athletic ability and willingness to be an elite-level transition player in the ACC and possibly at the next level.
While he joins the ‘Hoos with plenty of experience, there could be an adjustment period for De Ridder to get comfortable at the collegiate level. Thankfully for him, Virginia has a slow start to their schedule as the ‘Hoos face Rider University, NC Central, Hampton and Marshall before playing Northwestern on Nov. 21.
De Ridder is a willing shooter from beyond the arc and converted 39 percent of his 3-pointers last season while averaging 2.1 attempts per game. I’d expect that number to be slightly higher for him this year, but he’s not the type of player to kill a team from deep. Still, De Ridder’s season will be an absolute treat to watch develop, and Virginia should expect a significant amount of the offense to run through him.
Johann Grünloh
Grünloh joined the ‘Hoos with a fair amount of noise around his name as a potential late pick in the NBA Draft as well. The 7-foot center played in 29 games last season for RASTA Vechta, while averaging 7.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks in 22.6 minutes per game. He shot 46.1 percent from the floor and 34.2 percent from beyond the arc.
Las year during the Basketball Champions league, the big-man averaged 8.8 points and 2.7 blocks per game.
Outside of his size, shot-blocking and rebounding ability, his shooting prowess could be his most advantageous trait. Grünloh effectively uses his length to set screens on the 3-point line, which troubles defenders. His 3-point shooting ability makes him a better screen-setter, as his screens make him a more efficient shooter in return. Grünloh started at center and showed up during the Cavaliers’ exhibition game against Villanova. He finished second on the team with 12 points, added two blocks, and grabbed eight rebounds.
Grünloh also shot three 3-point attempts and converted one of them in 24 minutes and 52 seconds of action. The stretch big man will be an essential scorer on Virginia’s offense this season on top of his rare shot-blocking ability.
Rotational players
Ugonna Onyenso
Senior 7-foot center Ugonna Onyenso transferred to Virginia from Kansas State, where he averaged 2.8 points, 2.4 rebounds and just under a block per game last season.
Out of high school, he was ranked as a consensus top-25 recruit in the nation out of the class of 2023 before reclassifying as a 2022 graduate. He also became the youngest player to ever play for the Nigerian national team when he made the squad at 17-years-old.
Before attending Kansas State, Onyenso started 14 games in 2023-24 with Kentucky while averaging 4.8 rebounds, 3.6 points and 2.75 blocks per game. As of right now, Onyenso is expected to provide a shot blocking presence defensively while also bringing a rim-running threat and maybe even a bit of floor-stretching ability off the bench.
He played 14 minutes and 50 seconds against Villanova and registered seven points, three blocks and made on one of his two 3-point attempts.
Devin Tillis
Entering his sixth season of collegiate basketball, Tillis brings experience to the UVA roster. Tillis joins Virginia after starting the past three seasons at UC Irvine, where the Anteaters won at least 75 percent of their games in the past three seasons. A proven winner, Tillis, averaged 13.7 points and 7.8 rebounds in 29.8 minutes per game last season.
The 6-foot-7 stretch forward had an incredibly efficient year, shooting 53.5 percent from the floor, while converting on 39.5 percent of his 3-point attempts. On top of his efficient shooting, his rebounding ability gives the ‘Hoos staff the ability to bump him to the four spot when using smaller lineups.
He grabbed six rebounds while playing 14 minutes and 26 seconds against Villanova.
Depth
Carter Lang & Martin Carrere
Lang didn’t see any time against Villanova or last season after joining the ‘Hoos as a preferred walk-on from Vanderbilt. The 6-foot-9 redshirt sophomore stretch forward did start seven games as a freshman at Vanderbilt in and grabbed at least eight rebounds in four of those games. Lang, a Charlottesville native, is a former ESPN four-star recruit out of St. Anne’s-Belfield.
Carrere was the lone player to follow Odom from VCU to Virginia. The 6-foot-9 sharpshooter redshirted last season’s entirety for the Rams, but he did play in just over a minute against Villanova and notched a 3-pointer. It’ll be difficult for Carrere to crack more meaningful minutes this season, but there will be the occasional opportunity for him to show off his shooting ability. If he can get hot, maybe he’ll crack into the rotation.
