New VCU basketball coach Ryan Odom announced on Tuesday the signing of three transfers with Richmond-area ties, and there are two more players that he hasn’t announced yet following him from Utah State.
The kids announced on Tuesday: Joe Bamisile (Oklahoma), Roosevelt Wheeler (Louisville) and Jason Nelson (Richmond).
These three will be joined by Utah State transfers Max Shulga and Sean Bairstow.
The program put out a press release on the Richmond-area kids with a comment from Odom, who was named to replace Mike Rhoades last month.
“We’re really excited to have Joe, Roosevelt and Jason home here at VCU,” Odom said. “They and their families are extremely excited to be home here at VCU. They understand the tradition of excellence that has existed here better than anybody because they grew up here. They have watched VCU grow over the years into an elite college basketball program, and we’re excited that each of them want to be a part of it, and we’re especially excited, with us being a new staff here, to welcome them into our basketball family.”
The bigger pick-ups, though, at least in terms of immediate impact, are the Utah State guys, Shulga and Bairstow, both of whom were double-digit scorers for Odom last season.
Shulga, a 6’4” guard, averaged 11.9 points and 4.5 boards a game for the Aggies, who finished 26-9 after a first-round NCAA Tournament loss to Missouri.
Shulga shot 42.8 percent from the floor and 36.4 percent from three last season.
Bairstow, a four-year guy at Utah State, is a 6’8” guard who averaged 10.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game last season, shooting 47.3 percent from the floor and 38.6 percent from three.
The most promising of the Richmond-area kids is Bamisile, a 6’4” guard who averaged 4.0 points and 2.3 rebounds in 21 games at Oklahoma as a junior last season, after being named to the All-A-10 third team in 2021-2022 while at George Washington, where he averaged 16.3 points and 5.0 rebounds and shot 35.1 percent from three.
Bamisile, a four-star recruit out of Monacan High School, started his college career at Virginia Tech in 2020-2021, getting 8.9 minutes per game in 13 appearances.
“Joe is a dynamite player,” Odom said. “He’s proven over the course of his college career that he can score the ball. He has obviously scored the ball in this league at a high rate, but that’s not all he does. Joe’s all about winning. Joe really is excited about being part of a team that is excited to chase championships. He understands that he has an opportunity to impact this team at a high level, and I know he’s excited to get to work.”
Wheeler, a 6’11” center, returns to his hometown following two seasons at Louisville, where he averaged 1.4 points and 1.8 rebounds, shooting 47.1 percent from the floor, in 46 games.
“Roosevelt is an exciting player,” said Odom. “He sprints the court. He’s a great athlete. He’s got a tremendous smile and way about him. He’s a guy that can be a physical presence for us inside both on offense and defense, something that we will definitely need this coming season, and we’re excited to get him home to play in front of his mom and friends and family. He’s a dynamite kid.”
Nelson signed with the Rams following a solid freshman season at crosstown rival Richmond, where he started 26 games at point guard and averaged 8.0 points and 2.0 assists in 2022-2023. The 5’10” point guard ranked fifth among A-10 freshmen in points and assists per game, and he was twice named the league’s Rookie of the Week.
Wheeler and Nelson were teammates at John Marshall High School, which they led to a 2A state championship in 2020. Nelson was named Virginia 2A Player of the Year after he averaged 17.3 points, 5.9 assists and 3.8 rebounds, and Wheeler averaged 15.8 points, 11.9 rebounds and 4.3 blocked shots.
Nelson also played two seasons at Varina High School, where he was a teammate of current VCU player Fats Billups. That duo helped the Blue Devils to a 26-2 mark and a 5A state title in 2018-2019.
“Jason has obviously gotten off to a great start in the Atlantic 10,” Odom said. “Starting at Richmond and performing extremely well for them this past year set him up for an opportunity here at VCU. He’s got dynamite quickness, he’s a floor general in a lot of ways, and is excited to be a part of this program. He’s a guy who can really get others involved. He can beat the defense getting to the basket. He’s a willing passer and a knockdown guy from the perimeter as well.”
Share
Chris Graham
