By R.L. Bynum
Former Virginia Tech star Neoklis Avdalas has become Coach Michael Malone’s first transfer-portal commitment, according to multiple reports.
Avdalas, a is 6-9, 215-pound guard, arrived at Virginia Tech from Kalamata, Greece, as the second-highest-rated recruit in program history with an international résumé and the belief that his size-plus-creation package could translate quickly in the ACC.
He’s the second player in as many offseasons to transfer from Virginia Tech to UNC after Jaydon Young made that move a year ago.
After an up-and-down season in Blacksburg, he announced on March 27 that he would enter the transfer portal, and his positional versatility has generated plenty of interest. Advalas is No. 9 in On3’s ranking of players who entered the transfer portal.
Naturally, UMalone would be interested in Avdalas, considering that Virginia coach Ryan Odom called him a “dynamic player,” comparing him to Luka Dončić, whom Malone coached into NBA stardom.
“He’s excellent,” Odom said. “He’s got tremendous size. He can really pass the ball. He kind of reminds you of Luka [Dončić] in some ways, with his ability to see the floor, shoot the basketball, and get assists, and provides a big matchup problem. He’s an excellent player, one of the better players in our league.”
Avdalas is in Greece and didn’t take any official visits.
The high point of his season came in the Hokies’ 107–101 overtime victory over Providence on Nov. 8: season-highs of 33 points, 13 field goals and five 3-pointers, in addition to collecting five rebounds and six assists for an impressive 25.9 game score. For perspective, Caleb Wilson’s best game score last season was 26.2 against Kansas (24 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals).
That Providence game showcased the full range: scoring off the bounce, confidence beyond the arc, and the passing touch that makes his size so disruptive.
That game fueled the kind of “ceiling” conversations that follow big guards with NBA traits, and it raised expectations that he would look like a one-year college player rather than a long-term developmental project.
“It was great to do that so early in my time in Blacksburg,” Avdalas said on “Tech Talk Live” in February. “But when you score 30 points, people might think you’re going to do that every game. That’s not how it works. Of course, I can score the ball, but I can do more things than just score.”
The rest of the season didn’t come as easily as he dealt with a nagging injury that began around the Bahamas trip over Thanksgiving, and his production and efficiency dipped during ACC play.
Avdalas, who turned 20 on Feb. 4, scored 30 points in a 96–74 home win over Western Carolina on Dec. 11, but his ACC-high was 21 points in the 69–68 home loss to Stanford on Jan. 7. In his only meeting with Carolina, an 89–82 UNC win on Feb. 28 in Chapel Hill, he collected 19 points and three 3-pointers.
His early-season scoring and shooting were stronger than his late-season outputs as he faced scouting adjustments and the physical grind of a major conference.
Avdalas averaged 12.1 points, 4.6 assists, and 3.1 rebounds per game, and he did it while starting all 31 games and handling a large share of the team’s playmaking responsibilities. He finished at 38.6% from the field and 31.4% on 3-pointers.
He had at least six assists in 12 games, at least seven in nine games, at least eight in four games and dished out a season-high nine against Charleston Southern.
Avdalas is not a classic point guard in stature, but he often functions like one. At his height, he plays with the vision coaches covet, using ball screens and quick reads to tilt defenses and deliver passes over the top. His best value comes from the way he can initiate offense, slide across multiple spots, and force opponents to defend size and decision-making at the same time.
The end of Virginia Tech’s season put a spotlight on the improvements he still needs to make. In the Hokies’ 95–89 ACC Tournament overtime loss to Wake Forest, Avdalas was not on the floor for the most crucial late possessions and had a season-low game score of -1.9.
He finished the season with nine points in the 76–72 loss at Virginia on March 7 and five in that loss to the Deacons in Charlotte.
He represented Greece in the 2025 EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers and in four other years: the U18 EuroBasket in 2024, the U18 European Championship in 2023 and the U17 European Championship in 2022.
Avadalas is on FIBA’s “20 under 20” list of top European prospects.
He began his professional career with the Greek club Panathinaikos in 2021. He signed a five-year contract in January 2022, and was loaned to the Greek Basket League team Karditsa for the 2023–24 season and to the Basketball Champions League team Peristeri in the 2024–25 season. He was voted the Greek League’s most improved player in 2025.
Subscribe to read Tar Heel Tribune ad-free
Subscribe for a cleaner, smoother reading experience without the flashing banners, slow-loading elements, or those especially annoying pop‑up ads that interrupt the flow of the story. You’ll also get the first version of each story emailed to you. The only ads you’ll see are static, non-intrusive ads for UNC‑related books, and there are none currently on the site.
| No. | Class | Player | Pos. | Hgt | Wgt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | Freshman | Maximo Adams (MAX-ih-mo) | F | 6–7 | 220 |
| 30 | Freshman | Malloy Smith | G | 6–5 | 180 |
| 21 | Freshman | Sayon Keita (SIGH-on KAY-tuh) | C | 7–0 | 205 |
| 5 | Freshman | Kevin Thomas | W | 6–6 | 205 |
| 35 | Sophomore | Cade Bennerman — U | C | 7–0 | 205 |
| 17 | Sophomore | Neo Avdalas — W (NEE-oh ahv-DOLL-lus) | G | 6–9 | 220 |
| 2 | Sophomore | Isaiah Denis | G | 6–4 | 185 |
| 3 | Sophomore | Matt Able — X | G | 6–5 | 200 |
| 22 | Junior | Alexandros Samodurov (Alex-ANN-drose SAH-muh-DUHR-off) | C | 6–11 | 225 |
| 1 | Senior | Terrence Brown — Y | G | 6–3 | 180 |
| 4 | Senior | Jaydon Young (JAY-din) | G | 6–4 | 200 |
| 15 | Senior | Jarin Stevenson (JARE-in) | F | 6–10 | 220 |
| 14 | Graduate | Angelo Brizzi — Z (BRIZZ-ee) | G | 6–3 | 200 |
| 54 | Graduate | Cameron Fens — V (Fenz) | C | 7–0 | 255 |
| Walk-ons | |||||
| 99 | Junior | John Holbrook — SA | F | 6–8 | 230 |
| 32 | Senior | Evan Smith | G | 6–1 | 200 |
V — South Dakota transfer; U — Northwestern transfer; W — Virginia Tech transfer; X — N.C. State transfer; Y — Utah transfer; Z — Buffalo transfer; SA — Holbrook is a designated student-athlete, so he doesn’t count against UNC’s 15-player limit.
Coach Michael Malone’s coaching staff — Associate head coach Chuck Martin; assistant coaches Bryan Tibaldi (tih-BALL-dee), Sean May, Jorge Sanz (HOR-hey sahnth), Pat Sullivan and Brandon Robinson; Director of player development Deon Thompson.
Players who entered transfer portal
| Player | Class next season | Pos. | Hgt | Wgt | Next school |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luka Bogavac | Senior | W | 6–6 | 215 | Oklahoma State |
| James Brown | Senior | C | 6–10 | 240 | Howard |
| Derek Dixon | Sophomore | G | 6–5 | 200 | Arizona |
| Kyan Evans | Senior | G | 6–2 | 175 | Minnesota |
| Zayden High | Junior | C | 6–10 | 230 | South Florida |
| Jonathan Powell | Junior | G | 6–6 | 190 | Pittsburgh |
| Ivan Matlekovic | Junior | C | 7–0 | 255 | Pacific |
UNC schedule
| Date | Month/day | Opponent/event (final ranks) |
|---|---|---|
| October | Exhibitions | |
| 9 | 7 p.m. Friday | vs. USC in Greensboro |
| 18 | 5 p.m. Sunday | vs. Indiana in Indianapolis |
| 27 | Tuesday | vs. Charlotte |
| November | Regular season | |
| 2 | Monday | vs. Western Carolina |
| 6 | Friday | vs. Wofford |
| 10 | Tuesday | vs. Wyoming |
| 13 | Friday | vs. Georgia |
| 20 | Friday | vs. Marshall |
| 23 | Monday | vs. Monmouth |
| 27 | Friday | Dick Vitale Invitational vs. West Virginia in Charlotte |
| December | ||
| 1 | Tuesday | ACC/SEC Challenge vs. No. 13 Arkansas |
| 6 | Sunday | vs. Butler |
| 12 | Saturday | at Georgetown |
| 15 | Tuesday | Tobacco Road Classic vs. N.C. State in Greensboro |
| 19 | 2:30 Saturday, CBS | CBS Sports Classic vs. Kentucky in New York |
| 21 | Monday | vs. The Citadel |
| 30 | Wednesday | vs. California |
| January | ||
| 2 | Saturday | at Boston College |
| 5 | Tuesday | at Louisville |
| 9 | Saturday | vs. N.C. State |
| 13 | Wednesday | at Florida State |
| 16 | Saturday | vs. Stanford |
| 19 | Tuesday | vs. No. 17 Virginia |
| 23 | Saturday | at Syracuse |
| 26 | Tuesday | vs. SMU |
| 30 | Saturday | Nashville Hoops Showdown vs. No. 5 Illinois in Nashville, Tenn. |
| February | ||
| 2 | Tuesday | at Notre Dame |
| 6 | Saturday | vs. Georgia Tech |
| 8 | Monday, 7 p.m, ESPN | vs. Louisville |
| 13 | Saturday | at No. 4 Duke |
| 20 | Saturday | at Wake Forest |
| 22 | Monday, 7 p.m, ESPN | vs. No. 24 Miami |
| 27 | Saturday | at Virginia Tech |
| March | ||
| 2 | Tuesday | at Pittsburgh |
| 6 | Saturday | vs. No. 4 Duke |
| 9–13 | Tues.-Sat. | ACC tournament in Greensboro |
Top photo via hokiesports.com; Greek team photo courtesy of FIBA
2 Comments