UVA Basketball: Odom gets commitment from 7’1” prep center Favour Ibe

Ryan Odom added an important piece to his UVA Basketball rotation for 2026-2027, getting a commitment from 7’1” prep center Favour Ibe on Saturday.

The biggest remaining need for Odom was at the five spot, with Ugonna Onyenso, who averaged 18.6 minutes per game as the backup to rising sophomore Johann Grunloh, out of eligibility, and rising up the NBA Draft board – now projected as a mid-second-rounder.

Ibe, a four-star recruit, and the top-rated center on the free-agent market, at either the prep or transfer level, will fit nicely with Grunloh at the five spot.

Ibe brings grown-ass man size – 7’1”, 235 – and talent that had the attention of practically everybody in Power 4, including Alabama, Tennessee and Villanova, each of which had put a lot of emphasis on him in their spring recruiting efforts.

Projected rotation for 2026-2027

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Guard

• 5’10” PG Chance Mallory: 9.3 ppg, 3.4 assists/g, 3:1 assist:turnover ratio, 49.6% 2FG, 34.5% 3FG
• 6’7” SG Sam Lewis: 10.6 ppg, 51.0% 2FG, 40.3% 3FG
• 6’6” SG Christian Harmon: 12.8 ppg, 53.2% 2FG, 34.6% 3FG (Arkansas State)
• 6’4” SG Jurian Dixon: 15.9 ppg, 45.9% 2DFG, 38.5% 3FG (Cal-Irvine)

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Forward/center

• 6’9” PF Thijs de Ridder: 15.6 ppg, 6.2 rebounds/g, 56.8% 2FG, 35.7% 3FG
• 6’9” PF Silas Barksdale: four-star recruit in 2025; redshirted last season
• 7’0” C Johann Grunloh: 7.1 ppg, 5.2 rebounds/g, 2.2 blocked shots/g, 62.1% 2FG, 35.0% 3FG
• 7’1” C Favour Ibe: four-star prep recruit in 2026

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Need

I’d feel better if there was a veteran point guard with size to play alongside Chance Mallory; that could be Elijah Gertrude, a 6’4” former four-star recruit in 2023 who has seen limited action at Virginia in his seasons (medical redshirt in 2024-2025).

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Also in the mix

• 6’8” SG Martin Carrere: redshirted at VCU in 2024-2025; limited minutes at Virginia last season. Intriguing prospect who can shoot the lights out from the perimeter.