Virginia Tech Basketball:l Tobi Lawa Returning for 2025 Season
Tobi Lawal is set to return to Virginia Tech after deciding to withdraw from the 2025 NBA Draft. The standout forward, who transferred from VCU, was a key contributor for the Hokies last season, leading the team in both scoring and rebounding with averages of 12.4 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. Lawal also averaged 0.7 blocks per game, topping the team in that category as well.
Lawal’s return adds a major boost to head coach Mike Young’s squad, which also welcomes three incoming transfers this offseason.
Power Forward: Amani Hansberry
Hansberry, a 6-foot-8 forward, joins the Hokies after playing a vital role at West Virginia. Appearing in 31 games and averaging 24 minutes per outing, he recorded nearly 10 points and 6.5 rebounds per game while shooting around 43% from the field. Hansberry logged 13 games in double figures and recorded four double-doubles. He showed up in high-profile matchups, scoring 51 points combined against Gonzaga, Louisville, and Arizona early in the season. He reached double-digit points in all but two of WVU’s ranked matchups.
Guard/Forward: Izaiah Pasha
Transferring in from Delaware, Pasha brings versatility and a strong resume. He was named the CAA Rookie of the Year and earned All-Tournament honors after a standout performance in the conference tournament, where Delaware made a surprising run to the finals as a No. 12 seed. In the postseason, he averaged 13.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and one block per game. Over the regular season, he contributed 11.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game while shooting 51.7% overall and 33.3% from beyond the arc.
Guard: Jalien Bedford
Bedford, a 6-foot-4 guard from Austin, Texas, began his college career at Trinidad State, where he averaged 16.6 points per game and earned all-tournament honors while leading his team to the Region 9 Championships. He later transferred to Oral Roberts in 2023, where he became a starter and second-leading scorer with 14.6 points per game, including a 26-point effort against Texas Tech.
In his most recent season with UNLV, Bedford appeared in 31 games, starting six. He averaged 10.3 points per game while shooting 39% from the floor and 35% from three-point range. His season ended in the Mountain West Quarterfinals, where he played all 40 minutes and scored 13 points despite battling an eye injury.
With Lawal returning and the addition of Hansberry, Pasha, and Bedford, Virginia Tech is reloading with talent and experience, aiming for a stronger showing in the 2025 season.
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