Tobi Lawal’s viral quote sums up Virginia Tech basketball Tobi Lawal’s quote after VT’s season-ending loss has everyone talking.
The Virginia Tech Hokies lost to Cal in the first round of the ACC Tournament on Tuesday in Charlotte, ending their 2024-25 season with a 13-19 record, including an 8-12 mark in ACC play.
After Tuesday’s ending loss, head coach Mike Young expressed frustration, particularly about Tech’s season-long issue of turnovers. While he didn’t demand anything, Young sure sounded like he expected more help from his bosses next season (hint: NIL).
Young wasn’t the only one to sound off. Junior forward Tobi Lawal, probably the Hokies’ best player, had some things to say, too. Lawal averaged 12 points and seven rebounds per game this season after coming over from VCU in the transfer portal.
So, what did Lawal say? Let’s just share the tweet, and we’ll discuss it.
I don’t think we need to tell you which quote stood out, but just in case, here it is.
“My team, I’m proud of how far we came,” Lawal said. “What did they have us in the preseason? Maybe 14th or 15th? They thought we were going to be ass. I mean, we were still ass, but we weren’t that bad. You know what I’m saying? We beat expectations.”
That’s a hilarious quote, and a damning one at the same. And he’s right. The Hokies were better than many believed they would be, finishing as the 10th seed in the ACC Tournament. However, at the same time, they weren’t exactly very good either.
Everyone knows about VT’s lack of NIL funding for basketball — men’s and women’s. It’s part of why Kenny Brooks left. While the Hokies hired a heckuva replacement in Megan Duffy, it was still a setback. Brooks built women’s basketball in Blacksburg, turning it into one of the country’s best teams.
Back to Young. Athletic director Whit Babcock should be embarrassed by what Lawal said. Lawal shouldn’t be embarrassed. It was refreshingly honest. Young shouldn’t be embarrassed because anyone who has watched the Hokies play knows that the veteran coach squeezed as much as he could out of this roster. The 2024-25 Hokies had some nice pieces. What’s even better is that many of the young players improved before our very eyes.
Back to Babcock and Virginia Tech’s administration. No one expects the Hokies to be in the same NIL ballpark as Duke, North Carolina, Miami, or Louisville, among others. But it could be better. It should be better. It’s supposed to improve next season. Will it improve? And if it does improve, will it improve at the same level as others, making it almost meaningless, or will it be enough to not only help retain some of VT’s players, like Lawal, while also adding some outside talent?
This offseason is massive for the future of Virginia Tech basketball.
