SEC Basketball: Preseason power rankings for 2024-25 season
By Justin Wiles
12. Georgia Bulldogs
Georgia won 20 games last season, a surprise to many. Over the last month of the regular season, the Bulldogs went 2-8 but ultimately figured things out enough to make a run in the NIT. But many of the players from last year's team left after last season, most due to exhausted eligibility but also a couple to the transfer portal.
The pieces that returned are mostly young players with a ton of upside. Guards Silas Demary and Blue Cain both played key roles in their Freshman year and look to be the leaders for the Bulldogs in year number two. Demary started all but one game last season and averaged just under ten points per game, making 42 percent from the floor. Cain added some important minutes off the bench adding 7.4 points per game.
Mike White added a ton of pieces from the transfer portal. To help offensively he added Dakota Leffew (17.6 ppg) and De’Shayne Montgomery (13.2 ppg) from Mount St. Marys, and Tyron Lawrence (13.8 ppg) from Vanderbilt. Both Leffew and Lawrence have proved they can score consistently over the past couple of years, which should help stabilize the offense this year.
Defensively Georgia needed some help. White signed Justin Abson from Appalachian State. Abson was one of the best shot blockers in the country last season, averaging 2.8 per game. White also added RJ Godfrey from Clemson to help on the defensive side of the court.
The biggest concern this season for Georgia will be how much the team will rely on its younger players. Silas Demary and Blue Cain gained valuable experience last season, but they will need to take a huge step forward and take on larger roles. Mike White will find out early in the season if freshman Asa Newell and Somto Cyril are college-ready, as they will be relied upon to take a good portion of the post minutes this season.
Mike White has a talented team, that if all goes right this season should be competitive in the SEC. A successful season means the freshmen are as good or better than advertised and that Silas Demary and Blue Cain are ready to lead. With the uncertainty with the talent level, it’s hard to rank the Bulldogs much higher to start the year.