The Week in UVA Basketball

A Wild Week in UVA Hoops: Portal News, New Additions & Big Moves

It’s been an absolute whirlwind for Virginia Basketball this week — a rollercoaster of commitments, surprises, and new beginnings. If you’ve been trying to keep up, don’t worry — we’ve got you covered. Let’s break down everything that’s happened in a jam-packed week for the Hoos.

Silas Barksdale Comes to Charlottesville

The week kicked off with a big win: 6'8", 225-pound forward Silas Barksdale committed to UVA after originally pledging to VCU. The Woodside High School product from the 757 is following his head coach, Ryan Odom, to Charlottesville. Barksdale brings size, toughness, and familiarity with Coach Odom’s system — a great fit for a rebuilding roster.

Elijah Saunders Enters the Transfer Portal

On the same day Barksdale committed, Elijah Saunders surprised many by entering the transfer portal. Most fans expected him back in the orange and blue next season. Word is, Elijah wanted to stay, but may have sensed his role under the new staff might not be what he hoped. Either way, we wish him the best and thank him for his time in Charlottesville.

McKneely to Louisville

Things didn’t slow down. Just one day later, leading scorer Isaac McKneely announced he’s heading to another ACC school: the Louisville Cardinals. It's always tough watching a player transfer within the conference — especially one who meant so much to the team last season. We wish Isaac success... but when UVA plays Louisville, we hope we SHUT. HIM. DOWN.

Andrew Rohde Heads to the Big Ten

By Thursday, another name was off the roster. Andrew Rohde, a key piece of last year’s squad and a true glue guy, committed to Wisconsin. He’s got two years of eligibility left, and his toughness and grit should serve him well in the Big Ten. Rohde had a rocky start, and many (myself included) doubted him early on — but he proved us all wrong. Much respect, Andrew.

Fan Favorite Anthony Robinson to Xavier

Friday brought more bittersweet news as Anthony Robinson, a fan favorite despite limited playing time, committed to Xavier. UVA fans never got to see the full scope of what he could do — and it’s still puzzling that he didn’t get a single minute in the ACC Tournament. Here’s hoping he shines in his next chapter.

Portal Positivity: Lewis and White Join the Hoos

After several tough departures, Saturday brought a breath of fresh air. The Hoos made their first portal addition with Sam Lewis, a 2nd-Team All-MAC guard from Toledo. Lewis averaged 16.2 PPG and shot an impressive 44% from deep last season — an absolute sniper who will be a weapon in Odom’s system.

Then on Sunday, more good news rolled in. UVA landed another talented backcourt player in Jacari White from North Dakota State. White averaged 17.1 PPG, can attack the rim, and chose Virginia over offers from Texas, Ole Miss, West Virginia, Houston… and yes, Virginia Tech. Huge win for the staff.

Current Roster Snapshot

As of now, the UVA roster features:

• Elijah Gertrude

• Sam Lewis

• Jacari White

• Chance Mallory

• Silas Barksdale

• Carter Lang

That’s six players. But don’t panic, Wahoo fans. The transfer portal is loaded, and Coach Odom is grinding to build a competitive roster for next season, not some distant rebuild years down the line.

Curtis Staples for GM?

One more thing before we sign off — if UVA Basketball really wants to keep the momentum going, they should strongly consider bringing in Curtis Staples as the program’s General Manager. Staples bleeds orange and blue and would bring a much-needed edge to the front office. More on that coming soon…

That’s the week that was in Virginia Basketball. The ride is far from over, and there's plenty more movement coming — stay locked in. Until next week… GO HOOS!