Virginia Tech Announces Signings of Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Wabissa Bede

Wabissa Bede
Wabissa Bede could easily make an impact for Virginia Tech as a true freshman next season. (Via Twitter)

Well, it’s finally official.

Virginia Tech men’s basketball officially announced on Friday that both Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Wabissa Bede signed National Letters of Intent and that both will enroll in the fall of 2017.

The haul is a big one for Head Coach Buzz Williams, who currently has the Hokies’ 17 class ranked 27th in the country.

“Every day is special, but when you are a part of building something, signing day is always extra special,” Williams said via a press release. ”Our staff has done a magnificent job in their consistency and togetherness to put this class together. With each passing class, I think we have continued to refine exactly what our culture is about, and who we want to add to it.”

Alexander-Walker is the headline. The 6-foot-6, 190-pound guard/forward from Toronto, Canada is a high-end 4-star recruit and has shot up the rankings in recent months. Alexander-Walker has been playing basketball for the Team Canada U18 Americas team, where he was coached by Virginia Tech assistant Jamie McNeilly.

“Nickeil is deserving of all the hype and rankings he has received over the last year as a player, but despite his talent on the floor, I think his character is even greater,” Williams said. “His story is inspirational to me, and that started with his mom, and has continued to be influenced by his coaches. He fulfills a distinct need on our roster, and his versatility will allow us to use his talents in many different ways.”

Bede is no slouch either. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound guard is also rated as a 4-star recruit and his AAU team, Mass Rivals, won three separate tournaments this summer, with Bede winning MVP in one of those.

“I am always intrigued when someone tells me, ‘This kid is your kind of guy’,” Williams said. “Like all recruits, there is always a story behind it, and this is how Wabissa’s began. The more we developed a relationship with Wabissa and his Mom, the more we watched him, the more research we did, all of it led our staff to agree with that statement. His team never lost a game this summer, won every tournament they played in, and the only conclusive way to categorize his impact, was that he did whatever his team needed on both sides of the floor to win. I adore his spirit, and have genuine respect for how his work ethic has led him to this point. He has been coached incredibly hard, and because of that, I anticipate he will gain traction quickly in our culture, and will become a fan favorite because of how he competes.”

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