RICHMOND, Va. – New VCU Men's Basketball Coach Ryan Odom has hit the ground running. Odom announced the signing of three transfers, all Richmond area natives, in Joe Bamisile (Chesterfield, Va./Oklahoma), Roosevelt Wheeler (Richmond, Va./Louisville) and Jason Nelson (Richmond, Va./Richmond) on Tuesday.
 
All three were high school stars in the Richmond area, while Wheeler and Nelson were teammates for Team Loaded on the AAU circuit and helped lead the program to a 40-0 record and the Adidas Gauntlet Championship in 2018. They finished that summer as the nation's top-ranked 15U team.
 
"We're really excited to have Joe, Roosevelt and Jason home here at VCU," Odom said. "They and their families are extremely excited to be home here at VCU. They understand the tradition of excellence that has existed here better than anybody because they grew up here. They have watched VCU grow over the years into an elite college basketball program, and we're excited that each of them want to be a part of it, and we're especially excited, with us being a new staff here, to welcome them into our basketball family."
 
A 6-foot-4 guard, Bamisile joins the Rams following one season at Oklahoma, where he averaged 4.0 points and 2.3 rebounds in 21 games. He topped double figures on four occasions, including a season-high 15 in a win over UNC Wilmington on Nov. 15. Bamisile was named All-Atlantic 10 Conference Third Team in 2021-22 while at George Washington. He averaged 16.3 points and 5.0 rebounds that season, while shooting .351 (60-of-171) from 3-point range.
 
Bamisile graduated from Monacan High School in Chesterfield, where he averaged 28.0 points and 7.0 points as a junior in 2018-19. He was rated 61^st nationally in his class by Rivals and 64^th overall by ESPN.
 
"Joe is a dynamite player. He's proven over the course of his college career that he can score the ball. He has obviously scored the ball in this league at a high rate, but that's not all he does. Joe's all about winning. Joe really is excited about being part of a team that is excited to chase championships. He understands that he has an opportunity to impact this team at a high level, and I know he's excited to get to work," Odom said.  
 
Wheeler returns to his hometown following two seasons at Louisville, where he averaged 1.4 points and 1.8 rebounds, while shooting .471 from the floor, in 46 games.
 
 
A 6-11, 240-pound post player, Wheeler helped lead nearby John Marshall High School to a 2A state championship as a junior in 2019-20 when he averaged 15.8 points, 11.9 rebounds and 4.3 blocked shots. He was named First Team All-State and All-Region for his efforts. The Judges also captured a 3A state championship during Wheeler's freshman campaign. Wheeler was a consensus top-100 recruit and was ranked as high as 43^rd nationally in his class by Rivals.
 
"Roosevelt is an exciting player," said Odom. "He sprints the court. He's a great athlete. He's got a tremendous smile and way about him. He's a guy that can be a physical presence for us inside both on offense and defense, something that we will definitely need this coming season, and we're excited to get him home to play in front of his mom and friends and family. He's a dynamite kid."
 
Nelson signed with the Rams following an outstanding freshman season at crosstown rival Richmond, where he started 26 games at point guard and averaged 8.0 points and 2.0 assists in 2022-23. The 5-10 point guard ranked fifth among A-10 freshmen in points and assists per game, and he was twice named the league's Rookie of the Week. Nelson topped double-digits on 10 occasions, including a season-high 21 on Nov. 11 against Northern Iowa.
 
In 2019-20, Nelson was named Virginia 2A Player of the Year after he averaged 17.3 points, 5.9 assists and 3.8 rebounds alongside Wheeler on John Marshall's state championship squad. Nelson also played two seasons at Varina High School, where he was a teammate of current Ram Fats Billups (Richmond, Va./Varina). That duo helped the Blue Devils to a 26-2 mark and a 5A state title in 2018-19.
 
"Jason has obviously gotten off to a great start in the Atlantic 10. Starting at Richmond and performing extremely well for them this past year set him up for an opportunity here at VCU. He's got dynamite quickness, he's a floor general in a lot of ways, and is excited to be a part of this program. He's a guy who can really get others involved. He can beat the defense getting to the basket. He's a willing passer and a knockdown guy from the perimeter as well," Odom said.
 
The Richmond trio are Odom's first official signees since he took over the reigns of the VCU program on March 29.