Virginia Tech has already signed
three solid prospects in what is a decent basketball recruiting class. On the heels of a group that included freshman phenom Nickeil Alexander-Walker and a couple players (big PJ Horne and guard Wabissa Bede) who are already contributing - but unlikely to be one- or two-and done players like NAW might be - solidifying with good players and depth is the priority.
Point guard Jonathan Kabongo, shooting guard Jarren McAllister, and the headliner, wing Landers Nolley, are just that. Wha are the Hokies missing? For the second class in a row, anybody over 6-6 (though Horne has already proven he's capable of playing in the middle without the traditional height expected). At this point, VT has lost a lot of their top targets, and are focused in on one key bigman to close the group: 6-10, 230-pound in-stater
Florent Thamba.
"Flo" took his official visit to Blacksburg a couple weeks ago, Nebraska and Baylor are both on the docket for this week (the Husker visit
went well, but NU is not seen as the biggest threat), with Illinois next weekend prior to a likely January decision.
Although Thamba is not a native of Virginia - he's only been in Old Dominion for a couple years after emigrating from South Africa when he discovered his talent on the hardcourt - his comfort with the region is still seen as a positive for the Hokies, and Buzz Williams's group is still feeling good. The combination of their need at the position and the proximity is something no other school can replicate. There's always the wrench in the works of international prospects seeming to make decisions based on criteria that are a little different - and quite a bit murkier - than those we can rely upon from Americans, and with more visits planned, this is far from wrapped up, to say the least.
If VT can't land Thamba, it sounds like they're pretty comfortable with the trio in the 2018 class, and will go all-in on five-star Armando Bacot in the 2019 class - with an even greater opportunity to play early (not that five-stars need it) as one of their sales pitches for the Richmond-area bigman.
