ODU Basketball Reloaded: Mike Jones Breaks Down EVERY New Transfer, Schedule News & Recruiting Class

ODU Basketball Reloaded: Mike Jones Breaks Down EVERY New Transfer, Schedule News & Recruiting Class

Old Dominion Basketball is back. Head Coach Mike Jones joins The Monarchists Basketball Show for the first offseason episode to break down everything Monarch fans need to know before the 2026-27 season. Coach Jones goes player-by-player through the entire transfer portal class, discusses every freshman, explains why Old Dominion intentionally built a longer, more athletic roster, and details how the coaching staff attacked the team's biggest weakness from last season. We also discuss: 🏀 Every transfer addition and how each fits the roster 🏀 Freshman recruiting class 🏀 Defensive philosophy changes 🏀 Why wingspan matters as much as height 🏀 New assistant coaches Orlando Vandross and Jim Molinari 🏀 Professional basketball opportunities for Jordan Battle, KC Shaw, Cal and others 🏀 LJ Thomas' impressive business success after ODU 🏀 NCAA rule changes 🏀 Five-in-Five eligibility rule 🏀 2026-27 schedule news 🏀 Western Michigan season opener 🏀 Richmond exhibition update 🏀 Norfolk State rivalry 🏀 Golf tournament details 🏀 NBA offseason discussion If you're an Old Dominion Basketball fan, this is one episode you don't want to miss. Subscribe for exclusive ODU Basketball coverage all season long. 👍 Like the video 💬 Tell us which newcomer you're most excited to watch. 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss another Monarchs Basketball Show. #ODU #ODUBasketball #Monarchs #SunBelt #CollegeBasketball #TransferPortal Chapters 00:00 Intro 1:05 NBA Finals thoughts 4:00 ODU seniors turning pro 7:20 LJ Thomas' incredible business success 10:00 Breaking down every transfer addition 10:25 Bubu Benjamin 11:45 Jotham Nweke 12:55 Adante' Holiman 14:20 Khoi Thurman 15:35 Kylan Howze 16:55 Lucio Martini 18:10 Zamoku Weluche-Ume 19:45 Why wingspan matters more than height 22:15 New assistant coaches 24:45 Building a better defense 26:00 Freshman class 26:20 Theo Gerges 27:10 CJ Lyons 28:15 CJ Harper 29:45 Ahmad Caver's endorsement 31:15 NCAA rule changes 37:20 Should college basketball switch to quarters? 39:55 Five-in-Five eligibility explained 44:55 Western Michigan season opener announced 45:50 ODU Basketball Golf Tournament 51:00 NBA offseason moves (Jalen Brown, Paul George, and more) 57:20 Richmond exhibition teaser 59:10 2026-27 schedule overview 1:01:00 Final thoughts

S4E7 - Monarchists Basketball Show ft. Coach Mike Jones

Monarch Nation, this was a must-listen episode of The Monarchists Basketball Show. Head Coach Mike Jones joins Aaron and Mike for a deep, honest breakdown of the week that was—what went wrong against ULM, how the team responded against Ohio, and why the next three games inside Chartway Arena will define the stretch run. Coach Jones takes you inside: - The emotional hangover from the road trip - A powerful 6:00 AM practice that reset the culture - Zacch Wiggins’ growth as a true freshman - Cal’s impact when he stays out of foul trouble - LJ’s clutch, ice-cold finish - The goaltending no-call everyone’s still talking about - Scouting Marshall and Georgia State - Game-day preparation during doubleheaders - What he learned from this season so far - Ronnie Valentine’s jersey retirement on Valentine’s Day - Why these final home games matter more than ever Plus: 🎙️ A special message about The Mane Event w/ Coach Mike Jones at Afterglow Brewing on Thursday, 2/19 at 6PM and a plug for our upcoming episode with ODU Women's Basketball Hall of Famer Clarisse Machanguana, Mozambique flood relief, and a rallying call for Monarch Nation. Go Fund Me: Rebuilding Clarisse's Home After Mozambique Floods https://gofund.me/00e5a6e74 The Mane Event: https://www.facebook.com/share/1C6K2q3pGu/ Buckle up. This one has everything. Go Monarchs! ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 – Intro & ODAF Message 00:45 – ULM Recap: “We Didn’t Answer the Call” 01:55 – Mental Hangover from Texas State 02:35 – Ohio Win & Late Rebounding Surge 03:55 – Chartway Crowd Energy Impact 05:00 – The Goaltending No-Call Breakdown 😬 07:45 – The 6:00 AM Reset Practice 10:05 – Zacch Wiggins’ First Home Start 11:25 – Freshman Development & Work Ethic 12:35 – Finishing Through Contact & Physical Growth 13:45 – Cal’s Impact When Out of Foul Trouble 16:05 – The “Pass of the Year” Moment 17:30 – LJ’s Crunch-Time Takeover 19:50 – 16-of-18 From the Line & Only 6 Turnovers 20:55 – ODAF Mid-Roll 22:30 – Marshall Preview & Doubleheader Setup 24:10 – Game-Day Prep Changes Explained 25:20 – The Mitch Advantage (24/7 Access) 26:55 – Spurs Practice Facility Experience 28:15 – Ronnie Valentine Jersey Retirement ❤️ 29:45 – Georgia State Preview 31:10 – Louisiana Game Reminder (President’s Day) 31:55 – Senior Day Discussion 33:40 – Conference Scheduling Frustrations 35:05 – The Mane Event at Afterglow Announcement 36:45 – Baseball Season & Clarisse Machanguana Tease 🌍 38:20 – Coach Jones’ Message to Monarch Nation 39:55 – Go Monarchs

S4E6 - Monarchists Basketball Show ft. Coach Mike Jones

The Monarchists Basketball Show is back with Head Coach Mike Jones as Old Dominion wraps up a critical road trip and turns the page toward two huge home games at Chartway Arena. We break down the heartbreaker at Georgia Southern, the gritty win at App State, and what Coach Jones learned about his team’s growth, toughness, and maturity along the way. The conversation highlights Jordan Battle’s electric performance, Jared Turner’s confidence and development, and what it truly means to learn how to win in Sun Belt play. Looking ahead, Coach Jones previews: - A massive Wednesday night matchup vs. Troy - A Saturday showdown vs. Louisiana - The jersey retirement of ODU legend Ronnie Valentine - Why alumni weekends, tradition, and fan support matter more than ever This episode is all about growth, belief, and momentum as the Monarchs fight for positioning and prepare for the stretch run toward Pensacola. 🎧 Presented by The Pride of ODU 👉 Be a Monarchist. Join The Pride. ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 – Presented by The Pride of ODU 00:30 – Road trip recap & growth since last episode 01:20 – Georgia Southern heartbreak breakdown 02:50 – Free throws, officiating & attacking the rim 04:45 – Practice focus & late-game pressure 06:05 – Boone, App State & rivalry mentality 07:10 – Jordan Battle’s big night & infectious energy 09:00 – A “maturity win” and learning how to close games 10:30 – Jared Turner’s development & confidence 12:30 – What the team learned from the road trip 14:00 – Troy preview: shooting, defense & adjustments 16:10 – Handling multiple defensive looks 18:10 – Louisiana preview & defensive challenges 20:30 – Ronnie Valentine jersey retirement meaning 22:10 – Alumni weekend & Monarch tradition 24:15 – What fans should see now vs early season 26:15 – February urgency & Sun Belt positioning 27:30 – Final thoughts & Here Come The Monarchs

S4E5 - Monarchists Basketball Show ft. Coach Mike Jones

Old Dominion Basketball Head Coach Mike Jones joins The Monarchists Basketball Show to break down a pivotal Sun Belt road trip, highlight standout performances, and dive deep into what it will take for the Monarchs to stay in the thick of the conference race. Coach Jones walks us through: -The defensive tone-setting win at Coastal Carolina -Robert Davis Jr.’s bounce-back performance and leadership -The heartbreaking finish at James Madison and late-game execution -What discipline really means in tight Sun Belt games -How injuries impact the frontcourt and rebounding -Preparing for major road tests at Georgia Southern and App State -Why every single possession matters in this league This episode is a must-listen for Monarch Nation as ODU battles through one of the toughest stretches of conference play. 🦁 Join the Pride of ODU 👉 https://theprideofodu.com/pages/memberships 🎧 Subscribe for weekly ODU Athletics coverage 👍 Like, comment, and share with Monarch Nation ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 – Presented by The Pride of ODU 01:00 – Defensive mindset & fast start vs Coastal 02:10 – Why road trips shape Sun Belt standings 03:00 – Robert Davis Jr.’s impact beyond scoring 05:00 – Creating energy in tough road environments 06:40 – Quick turnarounds & second-time matchups 08:30 – Dominant first half vs JMU 10:00 – Life in the paint without key bigs 12:00 – Robert Davis Jr. injury update 13:00 – Film sessions, ball movement & rebounding 15:00 – Discipline becoming a team identity 17:20 – Coach Jones on Mark Cline’s influence 19:00 – Late-game execution & timeout strategy 23:00 – Breaking down Georgia Southern matchup 26:00 – What to expect at App State 28:00 – Coach Jones’ message to Monarch Nation

S4E4 - Monarchists Basketball Show ft. Coach Mike Jones

Old Dominion Basketball Head Coach Mike Jones joins The Monarchists Basketball Show for an honest, in-depth conversation about where the Monarchs stand as Sun Belt play heats up. Coach Jones breaks down the challenges of a tough non-conference schedule, early-game struggles, offensive flow, defensive execution, rebounding analytics, lineup decisions, and the leadership emerging inside the locker room. He also previews a massive matchup with Georgia Southern and addresses fan questions head-on — from slow starts to young player development to Sun Belt scheduling frustrations. Despite the bumps, one thing is clear: everything the Monarchs want to accomplish is still right in front of them. 🎙️ Real talk. Real insight. Real Monarch basketball. 👇 Get involved, drop your thoughts in the comments, and Go Monarchs. ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 – The Pride of ODU & Show Intro 01:00 – Season reflection since Villanova 02:15 – Non-conference scheduling & roster health 03:40 – JMU win, Coastal & App State lessons 05:10 – Slow starts & early-game focus issues 07:40 – Defensive execution & rebounding fundamentals 10:00 – Offensive flow & ball movement concerns 13:00 – Injuries, rotations & continuity challenges 15:10 – Analytics: box-outs, crashing & idle possessions 18:45 – “I’m gonna get mine” offense discussed 20:40 – Leadership emerging on the roster 24:00 – Young players, rotations & Zacch Wiggins 30:00 – Special teams in basketball & execution lapses 33:10 – What Coach wants to see in the next 3 games 36:00 – Georgia Southern scouting report 40:10 – Sun Belt scheduling frustrations 42:40 – Message to Monarch Nation & closing thoughts