Welcome to my team preview series for 2024-25. Each day between now and the start of the college basketball season, I will preview one team or conference, both on Instagram (@collegehoopsoutlet) and through an article here. The preview will go in-depth on the roster build of the team, my expectations for their upcoming season, and the state of the program under their current head coach.
Georgia (Projected: 11th in SEC)
Heading into year three at Georgia, Mike White may have his best roster yet. The Bulldogs bring in a handful of transfers, two top prospects, and kept a couple of important pieces. It will be interesting to see how it all comes together, but this has the chance to be the best Georgia team since Mark Fox was at the helm.
The most notable returner is sophomore guard Silas Demary Jr (10 ppg, 4 rpg). Demary Jr. showed his potential in all aspects of his game during his freshman, a 6-5 combo guard that can score at the rim. Demary Jr. should be set to start in the backcourt once again this season, and a sophomore breakout season could elevate both his draft stock and Georgia’s chances in the SEC.
Sophomore guard Blue Cain (7 ppg) is another notable returner, starting nine games last season as a guard with a solid shooting ability. Dylan James (4 ppg), another sophomore, is back after a promising freshman year that was slimmed down by a mid-season injury. Some newcomers may play ahead of James, but he should still have a solidified place in the Bulldogs’ rotation. The final returner is Markel Jennings (Redshirt), who redshirted his freshman season.
Nine players left the Georgia basketball program this offseason, highlighted by starting backcourt duo Noah Thomasson (13 ppg) and Jabri Abdur-Rahim (12 ppg, 4 rpg). The depth of the backcourt also took a hit, with RJ Melendez (10 ppg, 4 rpg), Justin Hill (10 ppg), and RJ Sunahara (2 ppg) all on the way out. The Bulldogs’ frontcourt lost Russel Tchewa (7 ppg, 6 rpg), Jalen DeLoach (4 ppg), Frank Anselem-Ibe (3 ppg), and Matthew-Alexander Moncrieffe (1 ppg).
Mike White landed five players in the transfer portal this offseason, including two from the same school. Hailing from Mount St. Mary’s, both Dakota Leffew (18 ppg, 4 rpg, 4 apg at Mt. St. Mary’s) and De’Shayne Montgomery (13 ppg, 4 rpg at Mt. St. Mary’s) provide the Bulldogs backcourt with added shooting and defensive prowess, something lacking last season. Leffew should come in and start at Georgia, the leading scorer for the Mountaineers last season with four years of experience at the program. Montgomery will be just a sophomore, likely developing into a bigger role across the next three seasons.
Tyrin Lawrence (14 ppg, 5 rpg at Vanderbilt) is the final transfer in the backcourt, a veteran guard with four years of SEC experience under his belt. Lawrence should start in the backcourt and have a large impact on how successful the Bulldogs are in 2024-25. Justin Abson (8 ppg, 7 rpg at Appalachian State) and RJ Godfrey (6 ppg at Clemson) round out the transfer class, and both should play big minutes in the Georgia frontcourt. Abson provides a physical presence in the paint, an elite rebounder and shot blocker (2.8 bpg). Godfrey is an athletic four, spending the past two seasons as a solid option off the bench for Brad Brownell at Clemson.
It was quite a recruiting class for Mike White this season, landing four class of 2024 commits including two inside the top 50. The star of the class is Asa Newell (5*, NAT 12), a five-star forward with great athletic ability and solid floor-spacing capabilities. Newell should insert right into the starting lineup as a freshman, providing big minutes for the Bulldogs. Somto Cyril (4*, NAT 45) won’t get quite the same hype as Newell, but should still be a valuable piece in the frontcourt. Guards Jordyn Kee (3*) and Savo Drezgic (Serbia) round out the recruiting class, both unlikely to see heavy minutes in their first seasons.
With the talent on this roster, I think it’s important for Mike White to take a big step forward at Georgia in year three. It’s not do-or-die to reach the tournament, but a first bid to the dance in 10 years would go a long way at Georgia. We’ve seen what the NIL at Georgia can do for the football program, and the more games White can win, the better the money can be for the basketball program in the near future.
This is a young Georgia roster, one probably better suited to compete in 2025-26 or 2026-27, but one that can still be a factor in the middle of the SEC. The X-factor of this team for me is Tyrin Lawrence, one of two players on the roster that have played multiple seasons at the power conference level. Lawrence will likely have to be the leader and the guy that holds this team together. If Lawrence has a big year and can get his teammates heavily involved on both sides of the floor, Georgia’s ceiling is raised significantly.
When you step back and take a look at what the top of the SEC looks like, it’s difficult to put too much trust in this young Georgia roster. The talent is there, but the top 6-8 teams all have a handful of veteran talents and find their teams a large step or two above Georgia. I have the Bulldogs finishing 11th in the 16-team SEC, a spot that would have them in the hunt for an at-large bid.