Odom’s goal to make Virginia a Top 10 program

By Jerry Ratcliffe

The regular game day routine was that assistant coach Dave Odom, who lived two doors down from head coach Terry Holland, would stop outside the Holland’s, and yell, “C’mon Whistle,” to which Holland would come outside and they’d walk from their neighborhood, down Alderman Road, across the bridge and enter University Hall.

Ryan Odom, starting in third grade, was the coolest kid in town because he got to walk with the two Virginia basketball coaches to the games during one of the golden eras of Wahoo hoops. Students would line the opposite side of the street and shout to the coaches, “Kick their ass” no matter the opponent.

Those memories were rekindled Monday afternoon at John Paul Jones Arena where Ryan Odom, with his parents and family looking on, along with the Hoos Hoo of Virginia basketball, was introduced as the Cavaliers new head coach.

The younger Odom fondly remembered how his dad and “The Whistle,” would go to war against the likes of Dean Smith, Norm Sloan, Lefty Driesell, Jim Valvano and Bobby Cremins. He eventually graduated to becoming a ball boy and would sit behind the visitors bench where he would hand out water to players and eavesdrop into the huddles.

As a kid, he’d sit on future Hall of Famer Ralph Sampson’s knee, hang out with point guard and future boss Jeff Jones and as a 12-year-old, pose for the cover of a Virginia basketball camp brochure, draped in Cavalier gear.

After years of perfecting his craft, Ryan Odom came home on Monday, taking over a Virginia program that has dwindled the last couple of years, but has aspirations to returning to the upper echelon of the ACC and beyond.

Equipped with a rededicated warchest, one that AD Carla Williams termed as “a significant jump,” the goal is to push Wahoo basketball to greatness.

“We had to shift the culture,” Williams shared about the program’s new emphasis on NIL. “We have secured the funds we need to have a top 10 program.”

Wahoo fans can think Cavalier legend Barry Parkhill’s intense fundraising efforts for that deed. Now, it’s up to Odom to see it through.

The 50-year-old has already guided three programs to the NCAA Tournament — UMBC, Utah State and VCU — and won’t rest until Virginia is a regular winner, not just a participant, in the college basketball’s premier event.

Sixteen years ago, a relative unknown named Tony Bennett, received a warm welcome in the same building and shared philosophies he had learned from his father, also a coach, on how to build a program that would last: the Five Pillars, taking no shortcuts, focus on defense.

On Monday, Odom shared his beliefs on what it takes to win.

“My job is to love my players, whether a guy is scoring 18 a game or he never gets into the game,” Odom said. “My job is to help them grow. My job is to help them become men. My job is to challenge them and tell them when they’re wrong.

“My job is to be there for them when they’re down and help build them back up because we all have adversity, we all go through  it, every one of us. And how you respond to it, there’s no better lesson than that, the Virginia lesson, that united pursuit that has happened here. There’s no better lesson than that.”

The new coach addressed myriad of topics from roster building to his coaching staff, playing style, hiring a general manager, NIL and more.

For those accustomed to Bennett’s “first to 50, wins,” style of offense, hang on. Things are changing.

“It’s been well documented I love offense,” Odom said with a wide grin. “Coach [Tony] Shaver, my college coach (at Hampden-Sydney), is sitting back over there behind the cameras, and he was an amazing mentor. I learned so much from him.”

Shaver learned from Carolina’s Dean Smith and that meant playing fast, which his Hampden-Sydney teams did.

“So that’s where I learned the speed of the game,” Odom said. “And we pressed. We’re up full court at all times. It was hard to play 27 minutes.”

While he’s had a love affair with offense, he has put an emphasis on balance over the years and his recent VCU team was a prime example.

Having wasted no time in bringing on board his college teammate and former assistant, Longwood coach Griff Aldrich, as his associate head coach at Virginia, Odom said he has brought his previous coaching staff with him at all stops.

“I thought it was really important that I had guys from the VCU family join me there and join our staff there,” Odom said. “To watch them integrate and become a team with our staff was a great example for our team at VCU. It’s going to happen here, too. It’s really important that we do the same thing here.”

Odom and Williams both confirmed that it is in the plans to hire a general manager for basketball. Williams revealed that Virginia football had a GM this past year in Tyler Jones, that it just wasn’t publicized, and that women’s basketball recently appointed Armani Dawkins as its GM without fanfare.

The new coach is confident that he and his staff will be able to recruit and believes he has more to sell than ever before with a world-class education and one of the nation’s finest basketball facilities as lures to prospects and to transfers.

Recruiting and the portal are of major importance. The portal opened Monday and four UVA players were among the more than 500 players who entered on the very first day — Blake Buchanan, Dai Dai Ames, Andrew Rohde and leading scorer Isaac McKneely (although McKneely did not he left himself the option to return).

“We have to sit in a room and go and figure out who’s available, what do we need, and then start to attack recruiting,” Odom said. “We’re playing at an elite level, a top 10 level. In order to compete with the best of the best, you have to recruit well and you have to sign great players and you also have to sign guys that understand their role.”

In terms of players currently on the roster, Odom met with the team two nights ago and encouraged the players to be themselves.

“The best way to get to know one another is to have conversations,” the coach said. “Individual conversations. And then get on the court.”

In fact, not long before Odom and Aldrich entered the main part of JPJ Arena, they were observing Virginia players in the practice gym along with UVA coaches Kyle Guy, Isaiah Wilkins, Chase Coleman and strength coach Mike Curtis, putting the players through a workout.

“It’s not something we want to rush,” Odom said. “One thing that I told these guys is there’s no judgment if you put your name in the portal. That’s OK, because I made this decision, because this situation is what it is. They have to figure out what’s best for them.

“My job is to communicate and find out why did you choose Virginia? What do you like about this place? Ultimately, we’ll have to come to a decision. Do they want to stay? Do they want to find another situation? There are no hard feelings.”

Ryan Odom, who had other options, made his decision. He’s come home.

COMING TUESDAY: It was a homecoming celebration for the Odom family. Also, Jeff Jones and Wally Walker talk about what UVA is getting in Ryan Odom. Also, Griff Aldrich adds some insight to his coaching relationship with Ryan Odom. All at JerryRatcliffe.com.