Everybody is always most interested to hear about the incoming freshman, and that's certainly understandable with this year's basketball team as Mark Fox and his staff brought in what many consider his best class yet. Through just over a week of practice and a summer full of workouts, we're hearing the excitement about this group is warranted. They still have their moments where their heads are spinning from what we're told, but they have also had times where they show the potential to be really good players in the SEC.
Turtle Jackson received a lot of fanfare when he flipped his commitment from UConn (coming off national title) to Georgia, and rightfully so. He's a very talented 6-foot-4 guard that will play point guard at Georgia this year. He's already added strength to his frame. From what we're told, he fared very well over the summer in pick up games matched up with senior guard Charles Mann. His playing time will depend largely on how quick he picks Fox's complex system, but expect him to be a major contributor in the backcourt this year.
E'Torrion Wilridge was probably the least talked about of the incoming class mainly because of missing the summer prior to his senior with a knee injury. We're hearing the coaching staff is really excited about his potential though. At 6-6, he's a better shooter than the staff originally thought and has the size, length and athleticism Fox loves in his small forwards.
The two freshman post players will play this year because they have to after the Dawgs lost Marcus Thornton and Nemi Djurisic to graduation, but they are two of the most talented big men Fox has signed at Georgia. Ogbeide will probably be the more productive player early because he's more physically advanced than Edwards and will be a beast on the boards right away, but both will play and we're hearing the staff doesn't think they will be liabilities despite their inexperience.
As you would expect, Mann and Kenny Gaines have taken their games to the next level in their last year at Georgia. We're hearing both look as good as they have since arriving in Athens. Georgia will go as they go this year, and that's not a bad thing. There were concerns in recent months about Gaines and his recovery from his injury, but we're told he looks really close to 100%, if not all the way there.
As important as Mann and Gaines are to Georgia's success this year, Yante Maten is equally important. We're told there are days where he looks like the best player on the team, but there have also been occasional days where he comes down to earth and plays like an underclassman. But overall, the coaches love the mindset he's had since last season ended and love the leadership he's brought to the frontcourt.
Predicting the starting line-up is tough to do right now. It's all but certain that Mann, Gaines and Maten occupy three of the spots on opening night. The other two remain up for grabs. Trust could play a big part in who Fox decides to start. Does he feel comfortable giving the nod to Ogbeide or Edwards to start alongside Maten or will he go with the more experienced Houston Kessler or Osahen Iduwe, who we hear has shown improvement, early in the season? Did JJ Frazier lose his starting spot with his dumb mistake in the off-season or will he continue to start? Fox seems to trust Juwan Parker and Kenny Paul Geno a lot because they have a strong grasp of his system on both ends and both are solid on the boards. Later in the season, there is even the possibility that Jackson moves into the starting line-up as point guard and moving Mann to small forward, much like they do when Frazier starts. There are a lot of options for Fox, a luxury he hasn't really had in his tenure at Georgia.
Lastly, it didn't get much, if any, publicity, but Georgia added a talented walk-on to the program this off-season in Connor O'Neill. He's originally from Georgia, but spent this past season at a prep school in New England in hopes of landing a scholarship. It's unclear if he's somebody that can ever contribute, but it's always to good to have walk-ons that can bring legitimate competition to practice.
