Category: Hoops

Four-star basketball recruit commits to Georgia, reclassifies

The Georgia Bulldogs basketball program add commitment from Serbian point guard, No. 88 recruit

Head coach Mike White and the Georgia Bulldogs basketball program got more good news on Friday afternoon. Four-star guard Savo Drezgic announced his commitment to UGA as well as his reclassification from the class of 2025 to this year’s class, giving the Bulldogs yet another top recruit to add to a 2024 roster that has received a major boost from both recruiting and the transfer portal already this offseason.

Drezgic is listed at 6-foot-3, 198 pounds, and has represented his native country of Serbia professionally for the Partizan basketball team in Belgrade in 2023 before joining DME Academy in Daytona Beach. He is ranked as the 88th best player nationally by 247Sports and the 14th best point guard.

With the addition of Drezgic, Georgia has four recruits set to join in the class of 2024, as he joins Asa Newell, Somto Cyril, and Jordyn Kee. The Bulldogs currently hold the 10th ranked class in the nation according to 247Sports and have also added five players out of the transfer portal.

Somto Cyril withdraws name from NBA draft, will play for Georgia in 2024

Georgia center Somto Cyril withdraws from the NBA draft

After landing their third commitment of this cycle from three-star guard Jordyn Kee on Wednesday, the Georgia Bulldogs basketball team got more good news early Thursday morning. Somto Cyril, a four-star signee at the center position for the Bulldogs, officially withdrew his name from the 2024 NBA draft, affirming his commitment to play for Georgia later this year, per CBS’ Jon Rothstein.

Cyril is listed at 6-foot-10, 240 pounds, and is considered by numerous recruiting outlets to be a top 10 center in the class of 2024. He played last season in the Overtime Elite League, which allowed him to test the NBA draft waters while also signing with the Bulldogs.

Cyril is originally from Nigeria, arriving in the United States in 2021. He played a year of high school basketball at Hamilton Heights Christian Academy in Chattanooga, Tennessee before joining Overtime Elite. He had previously signed with Kentucky before flipping to Georgia in April  following John Calipari’s departure to Arkansas.

Cyril joins the aforementioned Kee and five-star forward Asa Newell in a very talented Georgia recruiting class set to join the team this year, in addition to the five transfer players the Bulldogs have brought in this offseason. Cyril’s rim protection, dunking ability, and overall size and frame will be a major help for Mike White’s team as they look to take a major step forward in the SEC following a 20-17 record a year ago.

Elite basketball recruit Jordyn Kee announces commitment

Head coach Mike White and Georgia basketball have landed a commitment from guard Jordyn Kee

Amidst a good deal of involvement in the transfer portal, head coach Mike White and the Georgia Bulldogs have now landed a third high school recruit in the class of 2024. Jordyn Kee, a three-star guard out of Fort Lauderdale, announced his commitment early Wednesday morning via X.

Kee, who is listed at 6-foot-4, 170 pounds, chose the Bulldogs over Florida State, Michigan, Georgetown, Missouri, and Bryant. He played high school basketball at the Sagemont School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he helped them win a state championship this past season. Kee averaged 11.2 points per game along with four assists and three rebounds while shooting 43% from the three-point line.

 

Kee joins a 2024 class for Georgia that currently includes five-star forward Asa Newell and four-star center Somto Cyril. The Bulldogs also added five new players through the transfer portal thus far this offseason as they look to take the next step after reaching the National Invitational Tournament semifinals this past season.

Former Georgia basketball player announces transfer destination

Georgia Bulldogs basketball player announces ACC transfer destination

The seventh and final Georgia Bulldogs basketball player to enter the portal this cycle has officially announced his new home. Center Frank Anselem-Ibe has joined the Louisville Cardinals and new head coach Pat Kelsey, choosing the Cardinals over Georgia Tech, NC State, and Wisconsin.

Anselem-Ibe, a 6-foot-10, 210 pound big man originally from Nigeria, played a mostly rotational role for Georgia over the last two seasons. He lead the team in blocks a season ago, averaging 0.7 per game. He also added 2.5 points and 2.6 rebounds per game, including a season-best performance against Ohio State in the NIT in which he recorded a 10-point, 10-rebound game for the Dawgs.

Anselem-Ibe originally began his playing career with the Syracuse Orange, where he started six games in his second and final year with the Orange and nabbed 3.8 rebounds per game. He is the thirteenth transfer brought in by the Louisville Cardinals for Kelsey’s first year as head coach.

Michigan State transfer A.J. Hoggard narrows list down to five schools

Michigan State transfer guard A.J. Hoggard has narrowed down his potential destinations.

Michigan State Spartans basketball guard A.J. Hoggard is in the transfer portal after spending the past four seasons at Michigan State. Hoggard has started when healthy for the Spartans over the past two seasons.

Hoggard averaged 10.7 points, 5.2 assists and 3.1 rebounds per game last season. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound guard is the No. 72 player in the transfer portal according to 247Sports. If Hoggard transferred to Georgia, then he would become the Bulldogs’ highest-ranked incoming basketball transfer.

Hoggard’s top five schools are Georgia, Florida, Washington, USC and Vanderbilt. Hoggard is a veteran player with tons of experience. In fact, the four-star transfer prospect has played in eight NCAA Tournament games in his distinguished career.

A.J. Hoggard brings playmaking to his new transfer destination. Hoggard is a good free throw shooter (78.7%), but does not attempt many three-pointers (just 2.1 attempts per game).

UGA basketball’s RJ Melendez transfers to SEC school

UGA basketball loses its fourth-leading scorer, RJ Melendez, to another SEC team

Georgia basketball forward RJ Melendez has transferred to the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Head coach Mike White and Georgia have lost a significant amount of talent to the transfer portal this offseason. However, Georgia has a strong incoming recruiting class and could have a more talented roster for the 2024-2025 college basketball season.

Melendez spent the first two seasons of his college basketball career at Illinois. The former elite recruit played in 36 games for Georgia last season. During the 2023-2024 season, Melendez averaged 9.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game for Georgia.

Georgia basketball is scheduled to face Mississippi State next season. Georgia will miss Melendez, who was a big part of Georgia’s run in the National Invitational Tournament (NIT).

Melendez announced his commitment to Mississippi State via social media.

Last season, Mississippi State made the NCAA Tournament as a No. 8 seed. The Bulldogs lost to Michigan State in March Madness and are trying to retool their roster.

Georgia basketball adds experienced transfer in Vanderbilt’s Tyrin Lawrence

Vanderbilt basketball’s leading scored in SEC play, Tyrin Lawrence, has committed to Georgia basketball

Vanderbilt Commodores senior guard Tyrin Lawrence has committed to the Georgia Bulldogs basketball program. Lawrence, who the No. 82 player in the transfer portal, averaged 13.8 points and 5.1 rebounds in 31.1 minutes per game last season.

Lawrence is ranked as the No. 13 shooting guard in the transfer portal, per 247Sports. Lawrence played high school basketball for Sunrise Christian in Kansas, but also has ties to Georgia. The talented transfer also played for Morgan County High School in Georgia.

Lawrence was Vanderbilt’s leading scorer in SEC play (14.6 points per game) during the 2023-2024 season. Lawrence is Georgia’s fifth transfer commitment since the Dawgs’ lengthy National Invitational Tournament (NIT) run.

Lawrence joins Clemson’s RJ Godfrey, App State’s Justin Abson, Mount St. Mary’s Dakota Leffew and De’Shayne Montgomery in committing to transfer to Georgia. Georgia is also bringing in a pair of talented freshmen in forward Asa Newell and center Somto Cyril. The Bulldogs lost a significant portion of their roster to the transfer portal, but have high hopes entering year three of the Mike White era.

Another Georgia basketball player enters the portal

A seventh Georgia basketball player has announced his plans to enter the transfer portal

A seventh Georgia player has announced his intention to leave the program. Frank Anselem-Ibe reportedly entered the transfer portal on Tuesday, leaving the Dawgs with questions regarding depth at the center position in his wake. Georgia may have to rely more on incoming freshman center Somto Cyril.

Anselem-Ibe, a 6-foot-10, 210 pound big man originally from Nigeria, played a mostly rotational role for Georgia over the last two seasons. He started nine games but played in 60 total, leading the team in blocks a season ago, averaging 0.7 per game. He also added 2.5 points and 2.6 rebounds per game, including a season-best performance against Ohio State in the NIT  in which he recorded a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double for the Bulldogs.

Anselem-Ibe originally began his playing career at Syracuse, where he started six games in his second and final year with the Orange and nabbed 3.8 rebounds per game. His departure leaves another opening for the Bulldogs to address in the portal, as head coach Mike White has already added three players this offseason while the Bulldogs have seen a total of seven portal departures.

Georgia’s assist per game leader announces transfer destination

Former Georgia Bulldogs basketball guard Justin Hill has announced where he will play his final year of eligibility.

After entering the portal three weeks ago, former Georgia Bulldogs point guard Justin Hill has officially announced his new school. The fifth-year guard has announced his intention to transfer to Wichita State, giving the Shockers a veteran boost to their offense for next season.

Hill is listed at 6 feet and 185 pounds, and he is a native of Richmond, Texas. He started 13 games over the past two years at Georgia and was a consistent contributor, averaging 9.5 points per game and 3.2 assists per game a season ago, including a memorable moment when he hit a game-winning shot to beat Florida State. Hill was Georgia’s assist leader for the 2023-2024 season.

Prior to arriving in Athens, he played his first two seasons at Longwood, where he started 40 games over two years and averaged 14.2 points per game in his sophomore year. The 2024 season will be his final year of eligibility, and he will seek to help a Shockers team that went 15-19 season a year ago and is in desperate need of his efficient passing and playmaking ability.

UGA basketball’s RJ Melendez entering the transfer portal

Georgia basketball guard/forward RJ Melendez is returning to the transfer portal after spending one season at UGA

The Georgia Bulldogs are expected to lose one of their top contributors from the 2023-2024 basketball season in RJ Melendez. Melendez, who spend one season at Georgia, transferred to Georgia from Illinois. Now, he is returning to the NCAA transfer portal.

Melendez averaged 20.6 minutes, 9.6 points and 4.1 rebounds per game in his lone season at Georgia. Melendez helped Georgia go 20-17 and advance to the National Invitational Tournament (NIT) finals. The Bulldogs struggled in SEC play, but finished the year on a strong note. Melendez joins several other Bulldogs in the transfer portal.

Melendez is a former four-star recruit in the class of 2021. Melendez played high school basketball for Central Pointe Christian in Kissimmee, Florida. Melendez was the No. 94 recruit and No. 18 shooting forward. The 6-foot-7, 205-pound shooting forward was born in Arecibo, Puerto Rico.

Melendez played in 54 games and started 19 total games for Illinois across the two seasons to start his college basketball career. He will have one year of eligibility remaining.