Ryan Odom’s potential last roster piece still remains in limbo with Thijs De Ridder. The impending verdict on De Ridder comes from a recent report from NBA insider Nick Kalinowski that the NCAA has yet to make a ruling on the eligibility of the 6′ 8 216-pound power-forward from Belgium. The report also said that De Ridder plans to play college basketball this fall, following up on past reports from Spain that linked him to Virginia about a month ago.
Source confirms that Thijs de Ridder has withdrawn from the NBA Draft process, as part of his ongoing approval dialogue with the NCAA.
Looking increasingly likely that he will be heading to Virginia next season. pic.twitter.com/JcpN33InAW
— Nick Kalinowski (@kalidrafts) June 15, 2025
De Ridder, who recently withdrew from the NBA Draft, was a projected 2nd-round pick, speaking to the potential impact he could make at Virginia. De Ridder played for Bilbao in Spain this past year and averaged 9.3 points and 4.8 rebounds. He shot 39.1% from range, keeping with the trend of Odom’s transfer class, who have almost all proven they can score from deep.
For Highlights:
If De Ridder were to commit to Virginia, he’d likely slot in as the Hoos power forward alongside fellow international Johann Grünloh. The 6’11 German center was a projected 2nd-round pick for the 2025 NBA Draft earlier this year and, alongside De Ridder, would give Virginia one of the best frontcourts in the entire country. Although it remains to be seen if the two will be drafted in 2026, the last time the Cavaliers had multiple players drafted, they won the National Championship in 2019.
The two would fulfill Odom’s vision of having a dominant rebounding unit, something he displayed last year at VCU as the Rams ranked 36th in the nation in rebounds per game. Along with Kansas State transfer Ugonna Onyenso (7′ 0) and UC Irvine transfer Devin Tillis (6′ 6) rotating in, the Hoos are poised to win in the paint consistently, something they struggled with last season. Virginia ranked an abysmal 351st in rebounds per game last year.
De Ridder’s player type also provides Virginia with a prudent scorer capable of aggressively driving to the basket. His ability to draw doubles on drives will play well with a backcourt led by San Francisco transfer Malik Thomas, North Dakota State transfer Jacari White, and BYU transfer Dallin Hall. The three, all in their final years of eligibility, will bring a ton of experience to this Virginia team that is poised for an NCAA Tournament run in 2026.
Further, with every player on the Hoos projected starting five being able to shoot the three ball consistently, opponents will have nightmares on high ball screens and how to defend a Virginia team that will be able to attack teams on all three levels on the offensive side of the ball.
For now, the wait continues for De Ridder. A recent report by Jerry Ratcliffe said that De Ridder was on grounds on Wednesday and further went on to say that there are “no issues with Virginia admissions” and that NCAA approval is what remains from Ryan Odom completing his first roster at Virginia as he’s showcased the power of the Cavaliers NIL budget this offseason.
The Hoos currently have 12 players on their roster and are permitted to offer scholarships to 13 players with the new NCAA guidelines.
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
