Georgia Basketball: 2018-19 season preview for the Bulldogs

Projected starters

The starting rotation will be something for Tom Crean to figure out as the season progresses. Offensively, the Georgia Bulldogs ranked last in the SEC in points per game (68.1) as a team. Defensively though, they ranked second in the conference, allowing just 66.7 points per game. Crean isn’t known to be a solid defensive coach but it could be something to build on in Year 1.

In the backcourt, he’s got senior Will “Turtle” Jackson and rising sophomore Teshaun Hightower as point guard options. Despite starting in just three games last season, Hightower appeared in 29 games for Georgia. Jackson returns as the team’s leading scorer this upcoming season. He started in all 33 games for the Bulldogs in 2017-18, averaging 8.4 points and 3.5 assists per game in 2017-18. Jackson and Hightower represent a bulk of the production in the backcourt so starting both of them isn’t completely out of the equation.

In the frontcourt, big man Derek Ogbeide has the center position on lock. He produced 6.9 points and 6.2 rebounds per contest last season. On the interior with Ogbeide, 6-foot-11 forward Nicholas Claxton is likely to get a starting nod. Claxton returns as the Bulldogs’ best 3-point shooter (36.4 percent) from a season ago, something Crean will want to see a whole lot more of given his style of play.

On the wing at the other forward position, keep an eye on Rayshaun Hammonds. The 6-foot-8 sophomore had a quiet freshman season but his emergence under Crean will be something to keep an eye on. Crean will have options to work with though, giving him some depth in the long run.