Virginia Tech men’s basketball center Patrick Wessler has announced his decision to enter the transfer portal, with two years of eligibility remaining.
In his statement, Wessler expressed gratitude to Virginia Tech for providing him a home over the past three years. He also shared his excitement about completing his Bachelor of Science in Business Marketing in May and looking forward to the next stage of his basketball career.
Wessler became the third Hokie to enter the transfer portal that day, following guards Jaydon Young and Rodney Brown Jr. During his three seasons in Blacksburg, he redshirted in 2022-23 and played in 13 games the following season. This past year, he appeared in 31 of 32 games, starting once against Louisville. He averaged 3.9 points and 2.9 rebounds per game while shooting an efficient 62.5% (50-of-80) from the field.
His contributions became especially valuable late in the season. After starting forward Mylyjael Poteat suffered an injury against Miami on February 22, Wessler stepped up with key performances against Miami, Louisville, Syracuse, North Carolina, and Clemson. During that stretch, he averaged 7.4 points and 4.0 rebounds per game, converting 81.8% of his shots (18-of-22). Defensively, he also recorded four blocks.
One of his most memorable moments came in the final regular-season game at Littlejohn Coliseum, where he executed a right-handed hook shot over Clemson’s All-ACC Honorable Mention center, Viktor Lakhin. He finished that game 3-for-3 from the field, adding five rebounds and two blocks.
A native of Matthews, N.C., Wessler led the team in effective field goal percentage at 63.1%, according to Ken Pomeroy’s analytics. Tobi Lawal followed closely at 60.9%, ranking 70th nationally, though their playing time differed significantly.
Following Virginia Tech’s early exit from the ACC Tournament against Cal, head coach Mike Young addressed the need for roster improvements, stating, “A lot was missing [this year]… We’ve got to get more talented, and we’re going to, quick. … I’m not living through that again.” The departures of Brown Jr., Young, and Wessler signal the beginning of changes within the program.
With Wessler’s departure, the Hokies’ roster now features redshirt freshman Ryan Jones Jr., a former top-75 recruit who medically redshirted, and incoming four-star freshman Christian Gurdak as the remaining big men. The transfer portal officially opens on March 24, and more roster changes could be on the horizon.
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