Hokies Basketball to host Neoklis Avdalas - Top International Prospect

Virginia Tech Basketball is hosting Greek international prospect Neoklis Avdalas on a visit as he decides between the NBA and a potential college route. Avdalas is a wing that stands at 6'8/187 and is listed as the No. 85 draft prospect per ESPN. He was also one of the 75 prospects that were invited to the NBA Draft Combine.

In 2024/2025 for the Greek team Peristeri, Avdalas averaged 8.8 ppg, 2.6 rpg, and 1.3 ast while also shooting a staggering 40.7% from three.

At just 19 years old, Neoklis has already built an impressive resumé, highlighted by winning the Greek Super Cup in 2021, being selected as a Greek All-Star in 2023, and receiving the Greek League Best Young Player award in 2024. He began his professional journey with Panathinaikos in 2021 and has since gone on loan twice—first to ASK Karditsas for the 2023–24 season and currently to Peristeri for the 2024–25 campaign.

If the Hokies can manage to land Avdalas, he will certainly fit into a starting role on the wing, likely pushing Jaden Schutt to the bench. The starting lineup would likely look something like this:

While the starting lineup would lack a true five, you would have Johnson, Lawal (assuming he returns instead of going to the NBA draft), and Hansberry, who combined for 18.3 rpg in 2024/2025. They would also have big men such as Antonio Dorn and Christian Gurdak who would be able to fill that role when needed.

Now, to the visit. Avdalas has scheduled his one and only visit so far with Virginia Tech, that visit being either today or tomorrow (possibly both). Baylor and Indiana are also reportedly involved in his recruitment, but there hasn't been a visit scheduled that I'm aware of.

Avdalas likely wants to be a first round pick, and he'll find out a lot about his chances next week at the combine. He will almost certainly take the college route if he is told he won't be. Virginia Tech has made a competitive offer for him, though money isn't a big factor in his decision. He is more concerned about being able to develop enough to be a first round pick and playing 30 minutes per game, which would also help his development. Virginia Tech has backed off of a high school wing that they were pursuing, which will definitely help convince him that he will play as much as he is wanting to.