Men’s Basketball Signs Thijs De Ridder

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia men’s basketball has signed Thijs De Ridder (Brasschaat, Belgium), Dean and Markel Families Head Men’s Basketball Coach Ryan Odom announced Wednesday (July 16).

“We are excited and fortunate to add Thijs to our basketball program,” Odom said. “Thijs is talented, experienced and competitive. He will have an immediate impact in our frontcourt, and we look forward to his arrival on Grounds.”

Thijs (pronounced Tess) De Ridder is a 6-8, 231-pound skilled power forward who played the last two seasons for Surne Bilbao Basket in Spain’s Liga Endesa. In 2024-25, De Ridder averaged 9.3 points and 4.8 rebounds, shooting 50.2 percent from the field and 39.1 percent from 3-point range. De Ridder averaged 6.4 points and 4.2 rebounds per game on 51.5 percent shooting from the field and 36 percent from 3-point range in 2023-24.

De Ridder appeared in six games for Belgium in the 2025 European Championship Qualifiers and also participated in the FIBA U20 European Championship in 2022 and 2023. He led Belgium to a fourth-place finish in 2023, averaging 16.9 points and 9.6 rebounds per game in seven contests. De Ridder was named Belgian Rookie of the Year, Sixth Man of the Year, and Big Man of the Year in 2023 and one of Liga ACB’s Top 5 Young Guys in 2025.