BREAKING: UVA strike again, land massive commitment for talented guard

What initially seemed like a slow start to the transfer portal season for the Virginia Cavaliers quickly turned into a busy weekend. After securing Toledo wing Sam Lewis on Saturday, Ryan Odom and his staff added North Dakota State guard  on Sunday.

White averaged 17.1 points per game as a junior, along with 4.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists, earning second-team All-Summit League honors. As a sophomore, he was also named to the conference’s All-Defensive team.

Standing at 6-foot-3, White is a high-volume three-point shooter with a career 40.8% shooting percentage from beyond the arc. He’s particularly strong at creating his own shots, especially with his effective step-back threes. White is a versatile scorer, hitting 59.6% of his shots around the rim, 47.2% in the midrange, and 39% of his threes during the 2024-25 season. He has a solid wingspan, can create separation with his dribble, and is a smooth finisher.

 

While White’s success came at a mid-major school, the high level of interest from other schools suggests concerns about his transition to the ACC are overstated. He may not average 17 points per game at UVA, but his skill set is expected to translate well in Charlottesville.

On April 2, White narrowed his options down to five schools: Houston, Virginia Tech, Texas, Ole Miss, and West Virginia. Remarkably, Virginia was not on his shortlist just four days before his commitment, and White hadn’t visited the school before the dead period. It appears that Virginia came in late, making an offer that White couldn’t pass up.

This late push seems to be part of a broader trend, as both White and Lewis chose to commit to UVA without visiting Charlottesville. Virginia’s strong NIL and revenue-sharing programs likely played a role in securing both players.

As for Lewis, the 6-foot-6 Toledo transfer is another solid addition, bringing scoring and shooting depth to the backcourt. He averaged 16.2 points per game in his sophomore season and has two years of eligibility remaining. A career 42.7% three-point shooter, Lewis is coming off a season where he hit 44.3% of his deep shots on over four attempts per game.

Odom will be hoping these two aren’t the best players he adds in the portal, but they’re a quality start especially given how quickly the ‘Hoos brought them into the fold. Right now, White and Lewis could presumably fit in as UVA’s starters at the two and three while Odom hopes to land big fish at point guard and in the frontcourt.