Three Recruits Damon Stoudamire Needs To Land In The 2026 Class

Prospects that Georgia Tech shouldn't miss out on in the 2026 class

Mar 12, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets head coach Damon Stoudamire calls to his team during the first half against the Virginia Cavaliers at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

With the summer being an active period for college basketball head coaches from across the country in recruiting future talent, it is no time like now to discuss some of the top recruits in the country. Head coach Damon Stoudamire has already done an impressive job in the 2026 class after he landed the No. 2 player in the state of Georgia according to 247Sports in Moustapha Diop. Let’s take a look at can’t miss prospects for the 2026 class. 

1. Four-Star PF Jalan Wingfield

This is one of the best prospects in the country and he has only continued to improve. I got the chance to see him at GBCA Live Period, and Wingfield has filled out more and was dominating when he was on the floor. Wingfield is an excellent two-way player who can rim protect, put the ball on the floor, create offense for himself, and defend on the perimeter. He checks a lot of boxes and is a well-rounded, versatile player. Above all else, he is a champion. Here is more on him as a prospect and his performance that propelled his team to a state title for the first time since 2022. 

“It was a game Woodward Academy led 27-25 at the half before Tri-Cities edged the War Eagles 19-13 in the third quarter. Tri-Cities used an 11-0 run to break the game open and take control of the outcome in the fourth quarter. Jalan Wingfield was a huge catalyst in helping the Bulldogs pull away. His effort on the glass and scoring prowess were phenomenal on Friday night, leaving the War Eagles with no answers.”

“Wingfield’s final stat line was 20 points, 19 rebounds, and three blocks. He was named the Morgan and Morgan Player of the Game by GPB. Woodward Academy kept attacking the basket, especially in the second half, but Wingfield stood in the middle like an immovable figure contesting and altering shots at a high level. There were a number of times he would go up and snag rebounds over multiple Woodward Academy players like they weren’t even there. Wingfield was a beast in the second half on the glass, securing the glass and not allowing Woodward Academy to get second chance opportunities.” 

2. Four-Star SF Colben Landrew

A prospect who is finally beginning to get his flowers on the hoop circuit is Landrew. He got a shoutout from one of the top basketball media companies in Swish Cultures, which highlighted his talent. 

He participated in the NBPA Top 100 camp, where he had a stellar performance and picked up offers from Michigan, Texas, Indiana, Oklahoma State, and East Carolina just from the camp alone. The offers have continued to roll in from there for Landrew as he has picked up offers from LSU, Indiana, Texas, Michigan, and more. He had a notable performance in a win during the GBCA Live Period, finishing with 28 points and five threes. 

He is also another player who has won on the highest level in the state of Georgia’s highest classification in 6A. In the state title game, he put on a show and was named Most Valuable Player by Morgan and Morgan after a 19-point and eight-rebound performance leading powerhouse Wheeler to another championship. He is currently predicted to land with Purdue, but if the Yellow Jackets can get in this race. 

3. Four-Star SG Marcus Gillespie 

Gillespie plays right down the street at OTE (Overtime Elite) with the Cold Hearts. Fellow teammate and now Georgia Tech player Akai Fleming suited up with him this past season. He recently played in the RYZE hoops showcase and was named Georgia MVP. He had multiple 30-point performances for Atlanta Xpress. In a semifinal win over the Atlanta Celtics, Gillespie finished with a game-high 36 points, showcasing his full gamut of moves and making it look easy against defenders. As you can see from the clip below, he makes it look effortless.

Bro dropped 36 & started trolling 😭 @marcuslanier23 @RYZEHoops pic.twitter.com/wcCweYwBGg

— Overtime Elite (@OvertimeElite) July 7, 2025

Gillespie has a visit coming up with the Yellow Jackets on September 13th and will get a first-hand look at the program and what it has to offer. Coach Stoudamire would be getting a high-end scorer and playmaker on the offensive end who can heat up and get buckets whenever he touches it. The Yellow Jackets did a good job addressing their scoring this offseason with several notable additions in the transfer portal and high-end scorers from the high school ranks, but it's never too early to get a head start on the next class. Scoring was an area in the Yellow Jackets Gillespie fits that mould, and coach Stoudamire can rest easy knowing he has a guy who can score at will and doesn’t let up. The three-star prospect has continued to rise in the ranks and is quietly becoming a can’t-miss prospect in the state of Georgia. 

I talked about Diop earlier in the article and it is a huge in-state win for the Yellow Jackets program and Coach Stoudamire. I got the chance to see them in the OTE playoffs in March and gave a scouting report on the prospect. Here is more. 

“He is still very young and raw, but you can see the upside. Even though he didn’t get a lot of minutes he showed great energy and effort on both ends of the floor. He had a dunk in the open court that ignited the crowd and was part of a run for the City Reapers to get back into the game. He also had three rebounds and a steal in the game. Despite only playing nine minutes in the game, Diop has a plus/minus of 18 in the game showing he should see more time on the floor. From the looks of it, frontcourt players don’t get a lot of individual touches so it is tough to evaluate what Diop can be on the offensive side of the ball. Defensively, he showed great motor and the ability to defend the rim. He also is a good rebounder and did a good job in his limited minutes of securing rebounds and rebounding through traffic in a very physical game.” 

Despite only having one recruit in the 2026 class, coach Stoudamire has one of the top guys in the country. He has continued to recruit at an elite level, keeping top prospects home and bringing top prospects from across the country. If coach Stoudamire wants to have another top 20 recruiting class like 2024, he needs to land these elite Georgia prospects and keep them home.