The 2026-27 men’s basketball season is almost here, and Virginia Tech is looking to return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2022 edition, especially after the field was expanded from 68 to 76 this offseason. There is growing pressure on Mike Young given the NCAA Tournament drought, those suboptimal resources compared to ACC peers are a bigger reason for the Hokies' challenges to make the NCAA Tournament whether those in leadership in Blacksburg would like to acknowledge that or not.
Regardless, the pressure is on for the Hokies, but Tech has once again appeared to outperform their resources in roster construction with a solid team that has the pieces to reach the NCAA Tournament this season. So with that said, let's dive into the 2026-27 VT Men's Basketball lineup projection and roster preview.
Projected Starting Lineup
- PG: Ben Hammond
- SG: Isaiah Elohim
- SF: Tyler Johnson
- PF: Amani Hansberry
- C: Miles Heide
Ben Hammond and Amani Hansberry were the clear top two priorities for the Hokies to retain this past offseason, and VT did just that. Hammond and Hansberry immediately are two of the top 10-15ish returners in the ACC and have the talent to both be among the three All-ACC teams this season.
Hansberry has received the most buzz on this roster as one of the best power forwards east of the Mississippi River. He had a breakout junior season debut at VT with 14.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.5 steals in 30.7 minutes per game while shooting 49.2% from the field including 35.4% from three-point range plus 73.6% from the free-throw line.
Hansberry is a complete power forward who can do it all for the Hokies from getting it done around the rim to stretching the floor and forcing defenders to give him attention at the three-point line. He's more proficient on the offensive end than the defensive end, but his defense is quite solid as shown by how he has a 3.1 defensive box score plus/minus last season compared with a 4.8 offensive box score plus/minus.
Overall, it shouldn't be surprising if Hansberry has another big year and easily earns All-ACC honors as a senior.
However, Hammond may be the most important and arguably the best player on this team.
