Many years have passed since Georgia Tech was considered anything of a national contender, though Damon Stoudamire is trying to change that piece by piece. The Yellow Jackets did take a step forward in his second season at the helm, with a trip to the NIT and an 8th place finish in the ACC. However, the work is far from over and the roster took some major hits in the offseason leaving Stoudamire and his staff with plenty of question marks moving forward.
Five Yellow Jackets averaged at least 11 points per game last season and each formed a major part of the rotation, but Baye Ndongo is the only returner of the group. Javian McCollum and Lance Terry were graduating seniors while both Naithan George and Duncan Powell found new homes in the transfer portal. Ndongo did put up great numbers as a sophomore and was the team’s best rebounder, while freshman guard Jaeden Mustaf is also back after showing promise last season.
The latest freshman class has a few 4-star prospects, but the transfer class is slightly less heralded. Georgia Tech did add some great players but didn’t hit any home runs in the offseason. Still, Peyton Marshall is a 7-footer from Missouri with raw potential while the class also includes a trio of guards. Kam Craft shined last season at Miami-Ohio when given real opportunity while Chas Kelly comes to town after prior work with Boston College.
The third of that group is the one we’re keeping a closer eye on and that is Lamar Washington, a 6-4 guard originally from Portland, Oregon. His first two collegiate seasons came at Texas Tech largely as a backup, with his production decreasing into his sophomore year with the Red Raiders. Washington’s breakthrough came out west at Pacific, averaging 13.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game for the Tigers this past season. He earned Second Team All-WCC honors and showed tremendous growth.
Georgia Tech’s big returners no doubt help a largely new-look lineup, but adding a point guard like Washington is a great boost. A former Big 12 player, Washington isn’t unfamiliar with the challenges in a power conference and he’s shown promise when leading an offense. He still has work to do on a few aspects of his game and struggled with turnovers at times last season though the Yellow Jackets will certainly lean on his experience, especially with a slew of younger players behind him.
What we know for sure is that Ndongo will be a force in the interior. There are a lot of question marks surrounding this Georgia Tech team, one that will lean heavily on new pieces and underclassmen. Washington has to assert himself and become a different maker if the Yellow Jackets are going to be competitive in the ACC again.