This 2015 class

I've been quiet lately, but it's not because there's nothing to talk about.  So what did I miss?

Let's go all the way back to May 7 and a Marc Weiszer Q&A with Dan McDonald of Rivals.com.  In it, they talk recruiting, specifically the class of 2015:

ABH: The transfer of Cameron Forte opened up a spot on the roster. Who could Georgia add this late in the process for 2015?

DM: “The top option would be to get Tevin Mack, who just opened up (after signing with) VCU (before Shaka Smart left for Texas). He picked VCU over Georgia back in the fall, but I’m pretty confident when I say Georgia was the second choice then. They’re in pretty good there. He just visited (Sunday). Texas and Kansas are trying to get him, so that will probably drag out a couple more weeks.

The other option they’re looking at is a fifth-year post player from Arkansas Little-Rock named James White. He’s a pretty good player, originally from Georgia (Jonesboro). Those are the two main options right now at that spot.”

Off to a bad start here.  Let's pretend that question never happened...

Seriously, though, will the lack of a graduate transfer in the post go down as one of Fox's biggest misses in his time at Georgia?  My gut right now says the Bulldogs can overcome it with the talent on the roster, but leaving an open scholarship is something you almost never want to do, and Georgia has now done it two years in a row.  I don't think the whiff on James White is going to cost Georgia a trip to the tournament, but it will probably cost them a win or two along the way.

There's more good news than bad, though:

ABH: What do you like about what’s already assembled and signed in the 2015 class?

DM: “I liked that they added another ball handler in Will Jackson. He’s another versatile 6-5 guy who can play all three spots in the backcourt, kind of like Charles (Mann) does. Will is another guy that can shoot pretty well, and in college you can never have enough shooters. Derek Ogbeide was a huge get because he’s a guy that can come in and is physically ready to contribute right now, maybe not from a skill standpoint but from an athletic and strength standpoint he can come in and be a presence inside. Mike Edwards is the other post they got, maybe not next year he won’t be quite as ready to make a high impact, but off the bench he can play 10, 15, 20 minutes and grow into a good player. E’ttorion Wilridge, he basically replaces (former small forward) Brandon Morris. He’s kind of that 6-7 versatile wing that maybe can play the 4 for you. I think they did pretty well in this class.”

Two things excite me about this class.  One, Will Jackson and E'torrion Wilridge are both rumored to be good shooters, and as Dan says, you can never have too many of those.  Even with the losses of Djurisic and Thornton, Georgia shouldn't lack for scoring options this year.  Two, Derek Ogbeide seems like the real deal in the post.  He won't light the nets on fire in year 1, but if he can bring the defensive presence Yante Maten did last season, those two should be a nice duo down low.

So if we agree things are going better on the trail, the question becomes...why?

ABH: You’ve had high praise for Fox’s 2015 class and 2016 is off to a good start. Why is Fox having more success on the recruiting trail these days?

DM: “The first thing is obviously when you win, going to the NCAA Tournament this year and the NIT last season, those were steps in the right direction. Obviously that’s a big thing. The changes to staff with Jonas Hayes and Yasir being vocal guys — they just have bigger personalities to begin with. I think those two have done a good job vocally and closing the deal with these kids. They’re upgrades as recruiters. And the last thing, I think Coach Fox has changed a little bit. I think Jonas and Yasir have kind of changed him a little bit. He went outside of his comfort zone in hiring those two and I think it’s helped change him and for the better.

“One thing I think Coach Fox has always done is identify the kids early, but they’ve had a hard time closing out when it comes time to make the decision. I think they’ve done a good job helping that part out.”

This isn't rocket science.  The first answer is simply because Fox has hired better recruiters, and better recruiters recruit better.

The second answer is one I've been espousing around here since day 1:  just win baby.

[dobbytesonline.com]

Swing and a miss

I normally like to keep things positive on Friday, but yesterday news came down that James White would be playing his senior season of basketball at Georgia...Tech.  This is a baffling decision on so many levels, and it admittedly scuffs up my spirited defense of Mark Fox's recruiting from a few weeks ago.

White averaged 11.9 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks last season at Arkansas-Little Rock, and he said he was looking for a place to go and make the tournament in his senior season.

Georgia is coming off a tournament berth, returns most of their key players, and has a glaring need in the post (where White plays).  White would have made them a near-lock to return to the tournament in 2016.

Georgia Tech is a sinking ship.  They finished near the bottom of the ACC, their coach is a dead man walking, and their one position of relative strength is the one White will try to man next season.  He'll be competing for playing time with Nick Jacobs and Charles Mitchell, and, you heard it hear first, he will not go to the NCAA Tournament.

So what went wrong here?  In recruiting, you always have to account for the "kids do strange things" factor.  With Tevin Mack, it was pretty clear from the outset that he liked Georgia just fine, but he didn't love Georgia.  With White, though, it felt different.  Every indication was that he was all but a lock in Athens, and Mark Fox even got his final visit.

I have no inside information, so I can't answer the question.  I can tell you, though, that Fox has to fix it.  You could probably build an all-star team out of the kids for which Fox has finished second at this point.  Are we not doing something on our official visits that other schools are doing?  Are we getting over-confident and not closing the deal like we should?

I don't know, but I know it's time to fix it.

[AJC]

Mack to Texas

Tevin Mack is gone to Texas, which should come as no surprise.  That doesn't make it any less disappointing.

The pitch he cited was the ability to play right away.  Either Wilridge scares him, or that's just an excuse.  He never seemed to love Georgia, so it could be he's just saying the right things.

Regardless, Georgia still has one spot, and if it gets filled, it'll be a graduate transfer.  Don't be surprised if James White steps into that spot.

Head on over to Georgia Basketball Blog for the full recruiting skinny.

[ESPN]
[Georgia Basketball Blog]

Jaylen Brown to California

Jaylen Brown has committed to California.  Most Dawg fans saw the writing on the wall a while ago and knew he wasn't coming to Athens, so there's no need to be too upset.

In fact, instead of being upset, just find your closest Tennessee Volunteer and remind them that the guy they ran out of town is bringing in two top 10 recruits along with a 4-star small forward and a 3-star wing.  That should make you feel better.

And if you're still in the dumps, just mull this over:

On the flip side, Brown continues a surprising run of misses for Kentucky this spring. John Calipari and the Wildcats have now missed on all of their five-star targets in the last month, including Brandon Ingram (No. 3), Cheick Diallo (No. 7), Malik Newman (No. 10), Stephen Zimmerman (No. 12) and now Brown.

[ESPN]

One more roster spot

Seth Emerson reports that Georgia is 'actively' trying to fill that last roster spot:

"We're still actively looking, and recruiting some guys," Fox said Tuesday before the UGA Day in Albany. "So you shouldn't be surprised if we fill it. It's gotta be the right guy. So you shouldn't be surprised if we don't (use the scholarship.) But we'll see where it goes."

Ok, so Mark Fox hedges a bit, but clearly if the right player says he wants to be a Bulldog next year it's going to happen.  So who might that be?  Georgia Basketball Blog has some thoughts.

I'll let you read the whole write-up, but it sounds like James White and Tevin Mack are the most likely to fill that spot (and in that order) followed in a distant third place by Kobe Eubanks.  So who would you like to see in red and black next year?

Put me squarely in the Tevin Mack camp.  I know all the talk is about how thin Georgia is in the post, and that's true, but I think Mack makes Georgia a Sweet 16 contender as soon as next season.  That means I believe Yante Maten and Derek Ogbeide (with just a pinch of Osahen Iduwe, a sprinkle of Houston Kessler, and a splash of Michael Edwards) can hold down the interior next year.

Mack brings big-time scoring at the 3 position to a team desperately in need of big-time scoring from the 3 position.  If he wants a program which he can elevate, and which can return the favor by putting him in the NBA, he doesn't have to look any farther than Athens, GA.

[Ledger-Enquirer]
[Georgia Basketball Blog]

In defense of Mark Fox: recruiting

Previously:  Program stability

It's very difficult to win without players.

Yes, there are coaches who seem to get the most out of every player on the roster and can win almost in spite of their talent - think Brad Stevens.  Most of the time, though, winning starts on the recruiting trail, and it's here that Mark Fox has taken the most criticism.

I'm not here to tell you Fox has been the best recruiter in the world, but I am going to tell you the trend line is positive and there's reason for optimism.

Between 1979 and 1989, the University of Georgia welcomed in a whopping 7 McDonald's All-Americans:  Dominique Wilkins, Terry Fair, Vern Fleming, James Banks, Donald Hartry, Litterial Green, and Shaun Golden.

Since 1990, there have been precisely 2:  Carlos Strong and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

The point is not that Fox has landed half our All-Americans in the last 25 years (even though he has).  The point is that Georgia wasn't necessarily a recruiting powerhouse before he showed up in 2009.

Felton had some decent class in 2007 and 2008 that set the stage for the 2010-11 tournament team, but the cupboard wasn't exactly full when Fox arrived in Athens.  Since then, here are the classes he has put together (star rankings are from 247sports.com):

2009:  ***Connor Nolte, ***Demario Mayfield, ***Vincent Williams, Gerald Robinson
2010:  ***Marcus Thornton, ***Donte' Williams, **Sherrard Brantley
2011:  ***Nemanja Djurisic, ***John Cannon, ***Tim Dixon, ***John Florveus, *****Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
2012:  ***Kenny Gaines, ***Charles Mann, ***Brandon Morris, **Houston Kessler
2013:  ***Juwan Parker, ***J.J. Frazier, ***Cameron Forte, **Kenny Paul Geno
2014:  ***Yante Maten, ***Osahen Iduwe
2015 (so far):  ***Turtle Jackson, ***E'Torrion Wilridge, ***Derek Ogbeide, ***Michael Edwards
2016 (so far):  ****Jordan Harris, ***Tyree Crump

There has been a steady improvement in the quality of athletes Mark Fox is bringing to Athens.  It hasn't been as fast as some might have liked, but it's there.

If Tevin Mack decides to join the fold (still a bit of a long shot), 2015 becomes a big-time class.  2016 could be a monster as well.  Some services have Crump as the higher rated player, and there are plenty of other stars who could join those two and make it a top 25 haul.

Of course, there's always room for improvement.  Fox needs to make better use of graduate transfers.  They were sprinkled all throughout the tournament this year and I don't think that's a coincidence.

He also needs to land a "big fish" every two years or so.  His classes are full of 4-year grinders, which is incredibly important for a program like Georgia, but it'll take a superstar or two to push them over the top.

Finally, it needs to be pointed out how great the Jonas Hayes and Yasir Rosemond hires were.  If you're not a strong recruiter, you hire strong recruiters, and that's what Fox did.  2016 and beyond is when we should start to see those hires really paying off in spades.

Michigan pipeline

Everyone around the Georgia basketball program always says that if Mark Fox could just build a wall around Michigan he'd have plenty of talent to win.  They do say that, right?

Either way, we woke up to some good news this morning:

For the second straight year, the Georgia men's basketball team has reached into Michigan to get a fast-rising big man.

Michael Edwards, a 6-foot-9 forward from Westland, Mich., committed to Georgia on Monday night.

This is no unknown "diamond in the rough," either.  Edwards star has been on the rise for quite some time and he had interest and offers from places like Auburn, Kansas State, Arkansas, Pitt, SMU, Michigan, and Notre Dame.

That eats up the last scholarship, but it doesn't necessarily mean the Dawgs are done:

Edwards' signature later this month would for at least the moment fill up Georgia's 13 scholarships for next year's team. But sources have said that the Bulldogs would continue to look into other possibilities, such as graduate transfers who could play right away. They would also be interested in Tevin Mack, the four-star guard who signed with VCU but has asked out of his letter-of-intent because of the coaching change.

And if mega-recruit Jaylen Brown, the star from Wheeler High School, surprises everyone and selects Georgia, the Bulldogs would find a way to fit him on the roster.

Silly season isn't over quite yet.

For now, though, let's welcome Michael to the DawgNation.   He's a stud who fills a need, and we should be glad to have him.

[Ledger-Enquirer]

Mark Richt has lost control of Jaylen Brown

Quoth Jaylen Brown:

I will definitely be going to an Adidas school.

To save you the trouble, no, Georgia is not Adidas.  The only Adidas schools remaining on his list are Kansas, UCLA, and Michigan.  At least Georgia Tech and Kentucky need not apply.

So when Brown ends up in Kansas, take a breath before you blame Mark Fox.  Then blame him anyway, because that's what we do!

Update:

Or maybe not?

[ESPN]

Ogbeide is a Dawg

Mark Fox finished strong in the fall signing period by signing Derek Ogbeide, a big man from Mableton, Georgia.  Either a 2* or a 3*, depending on where you look, Ogbeide is a nice piece, and the Dawgs managed to beat out Memphis (among others) for his services.

While there are no Top 100 players in the class (yet), everyone who is committed addresses a position of need.  Assuming Mann and Gaines both return for their senior seasons, Fox will send out a team that's deep at both guard spots and big enough down low.  That's a winning formula in college basketball.

There is also one scholarship remaining.  The dream scenario, of course, has Jaylen Brown taking that spot.  No matter what, though, it'd be nice to see Fox take a win-now approach with that opening.  That means either an instant impact freshman (which is hard to find in the spring), or an experienced graduate transfer.

Regardless, Fox is off to a much better start this fall than last.  Welcome to the family, Derek!

h/t Seth Emerson

Welcome to Athens

As has been widely covered, two new Dawgs have joined the fold:  Will "Turtle" Jackson and E'Torrion Wilredge.  You should be excited about this.  Why?

Let's start with Turtle Jackson, who was once committed to the reigning national champion UConn Huskies.  Depending on where you look, he's a borderline Top 10 in-state talent (exactly the kind we've been begging Fox to keep in Georgia) and Top 150 national talent.  He's also saying things like this:

“A lot of other schools, when they recruit you, they tell you you’re the greatest player to ever come out, but you know that’s not true,” Jackson said. “Not everybody’s going to start in college, not everybody’s going to be the man. He was real with me and I love that.”

And this:

 “I had to sit back and tell myself, what would be best for my future,” Jackson said. “Going to Connecticut and sitting behind a guy for two years or going to UGA and working for a spot? I want to try to change the program. I want to see the respect for Georgia basketball rise, just like the football team and they want the same thing. I want to make a difference, do something different.”

Stop it, Turtle...you're getting me all riled up here.

So yeah, a kid who's good enough for UConn is staying home to try to change the culture of UGA basketball.  Turtle, glad you're coming to staying in Athens.

Then there's E'Torrion Wilredge, once a consensus Top 100 player who was injured and became something of a sleeper.  This guy fills the major need for the Dawgs next year, which is SF.  In fact, if he decided he wanted to graduate and play after Christmas, they could use him right now (no, this is not happening).  His signing will also soften the blow if Tevin Mack decides to go elsewhere.

Mack, along with PF Derek Ogbeide, are set to make their choices literally any moment now.  VCU and South Carolina are thought to be the leaders for Mack, whereas Ogbeide may very well end up in Athens.

Regardless of what happens, Jackson and Wilredge form the foundation of what can be a very, very good class for Fox.  He could easily turn this into a Top 25 class, which is exactly what the doctor ordered for Georgia basketball (especially if you-know-who were to shock the world and pick UGA).

So leave whatever the season may hold for tomorrow.  Today, let's be excited about some new Dawgs, and hopeful that Fox is well on his way to righting this ship.

Update:

 “One great thing about Turtle is he’s very driven to get better,” Fox said. “Most of the conversations with him were not so much about the recruitment as they were about, how can I get better? His first question would always be, how do you think I played? How can I get better? I love that approach that he has to the game. Very humble kid.”

I need a cold shower.

h/t everyone in the world

Another 2015 commitment

I would like to say that I am verbally committed to play basketball at the University of Georgia. 🔴🏀 #GoDawgs #UGA pic.twitter.com/WX8y6tqOfE
— E'Torrion Wilridge (@ToeToe24_) October 11, 2014

In case you missed it over the weekend (and you'd be forgiven for doing so considering everything going on with the football team), Mark Fox picked up another 2015 commitment in E'Torrion Wilridge, a small forward out of Beaumont, Texas.  As soon as he signs on the dotted line, he'll be an immediate number one on Georgia's all-name team, but can he play?

In short, yes.  In fact, many had him as a top 100 recruit before an MCL injury derailed him during his junior year.  A lot of major programs were scared off, but not Georgia, and that seems to have paid dividends.  Small forward is a huge position of need for the Dawgs in 2015, and Wilridge looks like a good one.

He seems to grade out on most sites as a 3* recruit, but keep an eye on him if he is able to come back 100% from the knee injury.

What does this mean for Tevin Mack's recruitment?  I'm confident Fox would still love to have him in Athens (I certainly would), but it's clear he wasn't going to wait around for Mack to commit.  It probably makes a commitment from Mack a little less likely, as there's now some competition for playing time (whereas before he would have walked right into a guaranteed starting role).  However, Fox has been on Mack for a long, long time, so nothing is impossible.

Regardless, let's welcome E'Torrion to the family.  And don't look now, but the latest 247sports.com recruiting rankings have Georgia's 2015 class at number 41, and that's with only 2 players committed.  As Fox rounds out the class, it could easily end up top 25.  Pair that with a top 25 team this season, and things may be looking up for Georgia basketball...

h/t dawnofthedawg.com

Recruiting against China

Evan Daniels introduces a late entrant into the Jaylen Brown sweepstakes - China:

Brown, a 6-foot-7 athletic wing, has yet to make a college commitment and is considering five schools – Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kansas, Kentucky and UCLA. But it’s not a foregone conclusion he plays college basketball at all.

“Absolutely,” Brown responded when asked if he would consider skipping college and playing overseas for a year.

Before you dismiss it as too much of a long shot,  understand that Emmanuel Mudiay's decision to sign with the Guangdong Southern Tigers has a lot of top prospects thinking:

That was huge,” Jaylen Brown, Scout.com’s No. 1 player in the 2015 class, said about Mudiay’s decision. “It’s starting a new culture.”

“A lot of guys are talking about if they could do that, they would,” Brown added. “There are a lot of things coming up that could be on the table for some guys. Everybody is interested and everybody is watching to see how he’s going to do and how it’s going to work out.”

Can you blame them?   Between his contract and endorsements, Mudiay stands to make a couple million dollars he otherwise wouldn't make by going to college.  Money isn't everything, but numbers that large are difficult to ignore.

Going overseas will not work for everyone.  There are cultural and language barriers.  There is often great distance from your friends and family.  There is also missing out on the college experience, which is something many of these kids have dreamed about for years.

If Brown were to pass on college for a pro contract, though, I can't say I'd blame him.  If offered a couple million dollars to relocate to China for a year, most of us would at least consider it.

In the end, I'd rather he play professionally in China than play professionally for Kentucky any day.

h/t Evan Daniels

Decompression

It's Friday, and much of Dawgnation has a bit of a football hangover (pity the men of Troy).  That doesn't mean we can't engage in a little daydreaming over here at Rock the Steg.

So instead of spending our weekend thinking about what might have been in Columbia, let's spend it watching this video of Tevin Mack dominating the NBA Top 100 camp:

One thing is clear from that video:  Mack looks good in blue, but he looks great in red.  Wouldn't you agree?

Mack should be in Athens this weekend and Fox has been on him a long time.  Let's hope for a happy ending on this one.

Have a great weekend, everyone.

The pitch

Michael Carvell gives us a little more insight into the way Georgia is pitching him:

Earlier in the week, UGA’s Mark Fox gave his best shot with the 6-foot-7 forward from Wheeler High School.

“Mark Fox showed Jaylen exactly where his shots were going to come from on the floor,” Eastmond said. “He said ‘This is where we expect you to score. And this what we expect of you based on what we know you can do.’ Coach Fox talked about the talent level that he’s had in college — players that have gone on to become productive pros over the years, even when he was at Nevada.”

Georgia is not going to win this thing on facilities, or fans, or history.  If Brown chooses to come to Georgia it's going to be because:

1. He wants to stay closer to home.
2. He embraces the challenge and pressure of being the guy to put this program over the top.
3. He believes his NBA stock won't be negatively affected by coming to Athens.

Having just put KCP in the NBA (top 10, nonetheless) certainly gives Fox some credibility there.  However, Georgia still has a lot to overcome to close the deal on this one.

My gut says it comes down to Kansas and Georgia Tech, but I have no substantiating evidence.  I hope I'm wrong, because Brown would make this team competitive at a national level the instant he stepped foot on campus, and I'd love to hear "small forward from the University of Georgia" when he's shaking Adam Silver's hand in 2016.

h/t AJC

Jaylen Brown in-home visit

Mark Fox got a chance to visit Jaylen Brown on Sunday.  Not much else to report.  Brown tweeted out that he enjoyed the visit, but you'll find a similar tweet for every in-home visit he receives, so that's not very telling.

Then there is this:

Brown is leaning towards waiting until after his senior season at Wheeler to make his decision so he can evaluate the tons of coaching changes and early NBA departures that happen after every college season.

Anyone hoping for a quick end to this is going to be disappointed.  However, I think that's the right way to do it.  The depth chart is important, especially when you'll probably only be playing college ball for a year.

h/t AJC

Crump and Harris stay in state

No. 7 Jordan Harris (in green) & No. 8 Tyree Crump (in white) are headed to #UGA. http://t.co/A4bJ15hwd8 pic.twitter.com/L29AfQFDQz
— HoopSeen (@hoopseen) September 10, 2014

Well, that was unexpected.

Even as Mark Fox struggles to round out the 2015 recruiting class, two big 2016 dominoes fall, and they land in Athens.

These commitments are big for a couple reasons:

1. They are Georgia kids.  We say often "if Georgia could just get keep some talent in state..."  Well, that's what's happening.
2. They are ranked Georgia kids.  To be more specific, Georgia is getting some ranked kids to stay.  Two top 10 Georgia players committing this early to the G is not something we see around here very often.
3. They are positions of need.  The most obvious holes in the roster in 2016 were those that would be left by Charles Mann and Kenny Gaines.  Fox just got highly regarded players at both positions.  Fantastic.

These two kids are friends and they committed together.  Well done, Fox and company.  I look forward to learning more about them and, eventually, seeing them in red and black.

Hopefully some of those 2015 targets see this and realize the future could be bright in Athens, GA...

h/t hoopseen.com

Chuck from Canada

Did anyone spot this kid on the sideline at the football game?  If so, Fox may want to get an offer in:

After all, you can never be too big inside.

Saturday in Athens

Football games aren't only for football recruits:

Tevin Mack @30piecemack is college football fan No. 1 this weekend. Will be at South Carolina/TXAM tonight. UGA/Clemson Saturday.
— Justin Young (@JustinDYoung) August 28, 2014

UGA football game today!🏈👀😈
— MB5™ (@MaLiKK_5) August 30, 2014

Seen on sidelines: Alec Ogletree, Mohamed Massaquoi, hoops target Malik Beasley (talking with Mark Fox) and DL verbal Trenton Thompson.
— Marc Weiszer (@marcweiszer) August 30, 2014

UGA showing love out here 🏈🐶💯👀🙈 #godawgs http://t.co/TVvRkCAkii
— MB5™ (@MaLiKK_5) August 30, 2014

Old man basketball?

Old man football is old news.  How about some old man basketball?

The rumor mill is starting to heat up a bit around Jaylen Brown, and much of it seems favorable to Georgia.  Along those lines, let's talk a little bit about Brown without counting (too many of) our chickens before they hatch.  Here are some things to know:

1.  Jaylen Brown is still improving.  Consider the following from the linked article:

Brown is one of the most aggressive players in the class of 2015, and his ability to score against any defender has pushed him to the No. 2 spot in the senior class. At this time last year, Brown was still a touted prospect – but his stock certainly wasn't this high.

...

The Wheeler (Ga.) product is not content with his ranking right now, continuing to work on his game – he says he has a “long list of things” to improve.

He has risen about 20 spots in the class rankings since his junior year, which would be good for any top 100 kid, let alone a kid who was already ranked in the 20's.  On top of that, he did so the old fashioned way:  he figured out what he needed to improve, and he worked at it.

Yet he's not yet content with his ranking.  His No. 2 ranking.  Do you want this kid on your team yet?

2.  Jaylen Brown is a program changer.  Unfortunately for Brown, he cannot enter the NBA draft after his senior year.  That means some lucky college will have an NBA-ready talent in school for at least a year.  For a school like Georgia, that can be a game-changer.  The last 5* to come to Athens and play basketball was Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.  KCP was and is a fantastic player, but there are indications that Brown could be even better.  Add to that the fact that Brown would be coming to play for a talented and veteran team, and ok, I have to stop, I'm getting too excited.

3.  Jaylen Brown is a small forward.  Georgia could really, really use a small forward and a center in this next class, and if you made me choose, I'd say small forward is the position of greatest need.  Inking Brown would be a spectacular way to meet that need.

One thing Georgia is doing is pushing the "coming home" theme popularized recently by one Lebron James:

“After LeBron with the coming home campaign, it looks real good,” Brown said. “Georgia Tech said they would do the same campaign, and UGA said the same. Those two are in my top five automatically.”

Hey, whatever it takes.  All I'm saying is, this 2-deep looks pretty nice, no?

PG - Charles Mann, Will Jackson
SG - Kenny Gaines, Juwan Parker
SF - Jaylen Brown, Kenny Paul Geno
PF - Yante Maten, Cameron Forte
C - Osahen Iduwe, Osahen Iduwe (ok...maybe we do need that center)

Read the article.  Get your hopes up.  Hope is good.

h/t Jeff Borzello

Will Jackson: time to wildly speculate!

To say the commitment of point guard Will "Turtle" Jackson to play his basketball at Georgia yesterday was surprising might be an understatement.  Even more surprising is the position it puts Mark Fox in:  perhaps having to turn away a very good player who wants to come to Athens.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves.  Before yesterday, most with any insider knowledge (and I am not one of those) thought Georgia had a decent chance with three elite class of 2015 prospects (all star ratings taken from Scout.com):

• Jaylen Brown - 5* - Shooting Guard
• Tevin Mack - 4* - Small Forward
• Malik Beasley - 4* - Point Guard

Brown remains a bit of a long shot, but has Georgia on his short list.  If he says he wants to come, Georgia will make room.  Period.

Mack and Beasley have long been considered strong Georgia leans.  You'll notice, though, that Beasley is listed as a point guard.  Some services have him listed as a shooting guard, but he is on the smallish end a la Kenny Gaines.

Georgia now has two scholarships remaining for the class of 2015.  Those will be freed up by the departure of Marcus Thornton and Nemi Djurisic.  With that in mind, let's assume Mack and Beasley commit to Georgia and project a 2015 depth chart:

PG:  Charles Mann, Will Jackson, Malik Beasley, J.J. Frazier
SG:  Kenny Gaines, Juwan Parker, Dusan Langura
SF:  Brandon Morris, Tevin Mack, Kenny Paul Geno
PF:  Yante Maten, Cameron Forte, Houston Kessler
C:  Osahen Iduwe, Yante Maten

When I look at that, two positions look really thin:  shooting guard (pending the development of Juwan Parker) and center.  If Jaylen Brown were to commit, of course, that would immediately solve the depth problem at shooting guard.

So what is Georgia to do?  I see a few options:

1. If all three commit, you're forced into some roster management.  One option is to push Kessler back into preferred walk-on status.  That frees up the scholarship, but the Kessler name makes this a dangerous PR move.  More likely, we'd see at least one transfer.  A guy like J.J. Frazier may no longer like how the depth chart looks and choose to play somewhere else.  The bottom line is this:  if all three want to come to Georgia, Mark Fox will make room.
2. If Beasley wavers because of the commitment of Jackson, Fox may try to convince him he's a shooting guard, a position with a lot thinner depth in Athens.  Look back at the depth chart above but move Beasley to SG...looks nice, right?
3. If only two out of three commit, there may still be some roster management necessary as Georgia could use another big body in the post.  Daniel Giddens is off the table, so this probably wouldn't be a splashy recruit, but that's ok.  Center is dangerously thin, so a guy like John Florveus who can eat some minutes may have to do.
4. If only one commits, Fox better hope it's Jaylen Brown, or else the muttering about his inability to close will gather steam yet again.

Stop and think about where Mark Fox and the Georgia Bulldogs find themselves today.  Against all odds, Fox closed on the exact two guys he needed to close on for the 2014 class.  If he repeats that performance and closes on any two of the above players in 2015 (and keeping in mind that college basketball is a guard-heavy game), he will have a roster capable of playing for an SEC championship.

For now, at least, there is hope in Athens.