CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – Following Virginia’s NCAA basketball tournament loss to Tennessee last season, Thijs De Ridder went home to Belgium to spend time with his family and girlfriend. It was a chance to get away from the sport. It didn’t last long.

“It bothered me so much, so I started feeling guilty that I was not working out on basketball,” De Ridder said. “So, I started practicing twice a day.”

A year ago, De Ridder came to the States and UVA with some hype but also some mystery about him as an intriguing international prospect. He started every game last season and averaged 15.6 points and 6.2 rebounds per game.

This season, he is a known – and well-regarded – commodity. Earlier this month he was voted the ACC’s Preseason Player of the Year and is a big reason why the Cavaliers were picked to finish second in the league and open the season ranked No. 9 nationally. Thursday, De Ridder was one of 20 players named to the preseason watch lists for the NABC Player of the Year and Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award.

“For me, I’m not really thinking about Player of the Year, nor is he,” UVA coach Ryan Odom told Cville Right Now. “I think it’s more just, is he going to play better? How are we going to get him to be more efficient? He’s worked really hard this summer and fall to put himself in tough positions, really working on his game. His shooting, His ball-handling. His passing. Being more of a facilitator.”

De Ridder said he focused this offseason on improving his shooting and working on his defense. De Ridder shot 50.8% from the floor and 35.7% from 3-point range last season. He scored 20 points or more in 12 games. Defensively, he improved as the year went on, Odom said.

“There’s no question about it,” Odom said. “We switch a lot so for him, initially, it was a problem guarding smaller guys, quicker guys. He would get fouls on occasion and get himself in trouble. So, we’ve just really worked on it through watching film. Through execution on the court in practice and then obviously in games. He’s done a great job with that and is much improved.”

Another thing Odom wants to see from De Ridder in 2026-27 is how he responds to challenging situations. The coaching staff has tested and pushed De Ridder in that area this offseason.

“We’ve put him in some tough moments in practice to get him jazzed up to where he’s gotta respond mentally and emotionally to stressful environments,” Odom said. “I think that’s the biggest thing for him. And just being a leader, you step up. This is his last season and obviously a big year for him. He came back. He’s got big goals and big dreams for our team. There’s going to be some stressors and pressures that goes along with that. Just helping him deal with that and helping our team overall deal with that is going to be really important.”

De Ridder is one of four key returners from last year’s 30-win, NCAA tournament team that Virginia brought back. He figures to be joined in the starting lineup by German center Johann Grunloh, point guard Chance Mallory and shooting guard Sam Lewis. The fifth spot likely will go to German forward Nolan Adekunle when the Cavaliers open the season at home Tuesday against Drexel.

Keeping De Ridder was one of Virginia’s offseason priorities.

Following his strong first college season, De Ridder had a decision to make. Other colleges were reaching out with competitive NIL offers, attempting to lure him into the transfer portal, and some projected he would be a second-round pick if he declared for the NBA Draft.

NBA scouts wanted him to show more consistent shooting and improved defensive versatility, being able to guard multiple positions. He decided to return to college – and to stick with the Odom and the Cavaliers.

“Of course I had some schools immediately calling,” De Ridder said. “But I quickly set my decision to UVA again, because this is like coming home for me. I have this family feeling here that I had overseas with my club in Belgium. So that was special. The decision was made pretty quickly.”

The Tennessee loss factored into that decision, as well.

“I have unfinished business here,” De Ridder said.