Georgia Basketball: How will Tom Crean fill the final spots in 2020 recruiting class?
The Georgia Bulldogs capped off what would be their final game for the 2019-2020 season with a (16-16) record on the year thanks to an (81-63) win over Ole Miss. With the Anthony Edwards era now over at Georgia, we can begin to look at how this team will adjust next year. With one scholarship remaining (barring any transfers), we'll take a look at a few options for Georgia to round out next year's roster.
The Bulldogs' recruiting class currently stands at 24th in the nation, headlined by in-state prospects, K.D. Johnson and Josh Taylor. In addition, the Bulldogs are adding two JUCO transfers from Eastern Florida State College, Mikal Starks, and Jonathan Ned.
Earlier in the year, sophomore Amanze Ngumezi transferred, and just recently Rodney Howard has announced his intent to transfer, ultimately opening up two scholarships for the 2020 class. And with this cycle beginning to close, we'll take a look at Georgia's limited but effective choices to add to the roster.
Dylan Cardwell: 3-star Center
All season long, blame was placed on Tom Crean's shoulders for not having a go-to big-man in the post. However, Dylan Cardwell could be the answer to that problem.
Cardwell played for Oak Hill Academy in 2019 alongside current Bulldog, Christian Brown. Due to some complications after transferring to McEachern High School in 2020, Cardwell was forced to sit out for his entire senior season. Because of that, there's a lot of uncertainty in his recruitment, but his patience and team-player personality have shown that he is mature enough to play early-on at the next level.
Cardwell has a ton of length standing at 6'11. That's allowed him to block numerous shots in his career. Cardwell also has enough athleticism and strength to allow him to create scoring opportunities in the post.
Cardwell has been to visit Athens multiple times, including attending the Georgia Tech match up back in November. With Rodney Howard gone, the need for a true center has increased.
Michael Foster: 5-star Forward (2021)
What a relief it would be for Georgia fans to have a 5-star player in back-to-back seasons. Michael Foster, currently rated as a Top-10 prospect in the 2021 class, is being heavily pursued by Tom Crean to join the Bulldogs in 2020. Florida State is also recruiting Foster for the 2020 class.
Foster officially visited the Bulldogs in September of 2019, and since then, has been heavily trending to be a Bulldog. Whether it be in 2020 or 2021, it seems like the Bulldogs are in a great position to land another 5-star in Foster.
At 6'9 220 lbs., he is a very versatile piece to have in the post. His power and finesse in the paint allow him to produce high numbers while he is continuing to add an outside shot to his game.
Jonathan Kuminga: 5-star Forward (2021)
Stop me if you've heard this before: Georgia could be landing the nation's top prospect. This time, it's wing stand out, Jonathan Kuminga.
Yes, Georgia has a legit shot to land the 2021 class' #1 prospect. Kuminga has placed the Bulldogs in his final group and has spoken fondly of Tom Crean. He recently made a trip down to Athens for the final home game against Florida. As of recent, LSU, Auburn, and Texas Tech have made a strong push for his service. However, Georgia is a legit contender for him and is being rumored to be one of the leaders for his commitment. It also looks like Kuminga will most likely reclassify to the 2020 class.
Kuminga stands at 6'8 and has an innate ability to score around the basket. His outside shot is still a work in progress, but with the right development, Kuminga could well be on his way to be a star in the NBA one day. As we've seen Tom Crean contribute towards developing Anthony Edwards into a top NBA prospect, it would be interesting to see what he could do with a talent like Kuminga.
The Bulldogs have also expressed interest in a few transfers, such as Duke's Alex O'Connell, UConn's Alterique Gilbert, and Pitt's Trey McGowens.
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