BREAKING: Georgia Tech Basketball Lands One Of The Best Guards In The Transfer Portal
It has been rumored for the past week or so, but Damon Stoudamire landed one of the top guards in the transfer portal today.
Oklahoma guard Javian McCollum committed to the Yellow Jackets today, making him the first transfer commit of the offseason for Stoudamire. Georgia Tech has lost Amaree Abram, Ebenezer Dowuona, Deebo Coleman, Tyzhaun Claude, and Tafara Gapare in the portal this offseason. On 247Sports, McCollum is rated as the No. 21 transfer in the entire portal and the No. 4 guard.
Last season, McCollum led the Sooners in scoring after transferring in from Siena, averaging 13.3 PPG in 31 minutes per game. Oklahoma was a contender all season long to make the NCAA Tournament (you could argue they should have been in) and McCollum was a big reason why. Last season, he shot 40% from the field and 31% from three. His best season statistically at the collegiate level came in 2022-2023 when he averaged 15.9 PPG in 31 minutes while shooting 43% from the field and 36% from three. He also averaged nearly four assists in each of the last two seasons.
Georgia Tech is bringing in one of the ACC's best recruiting classes on top of returning top freshmen Nait George and Baye Ndongo, but they need some veteran leadership. It is tough to win just relying solely on young talent and bringing someone like McCollum in would solve some things for Georgia Tech. He was an All-Big-12 Honorable Mention last season.
From his bio at SoonerSports.com:
Honors & Awards: 2023-24 All-Big 12 Honorable Mention ... 2023 Rady Children's Invitational MVP and All-Tournament Team selection ... Two-time MAAC Player of the Week (11/14 & 11/28) at Siena.
2023-24 (JUNIOR): Appeared in 30 games (30 starts) ... Averaged 13.3 points, 3.4 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 0.8 steals per outing ... Shot 40.4% (132-327) from the field, 31.4% (54-172) from deep and 94.3% (82-87) from the free throw line ... Set school record for free throw percentage, breaking Hollis Price's mark (92.9%) set in 2002-03 ... Made a program record 39 consecutive free throws, besting the previous tally of 37 set by Nate Carter in 2006-07 ... Recorded 21 games with 10-plus points ... Rady Children's Invitational MVP and All-Tournament Team selection ... All-Big 12 Honorable Mention ... Made OU debut against Central Michigan (11/6) ... Led the Sooners with 19 points on 7-for-12 shooting and buried a team-high three 3-pointers against CMU ... Recorded a team-high four assists against Mississippi Valley State (11/10) ... Scored a team-high 15 points versus Texas State (11/14) ... Tallied 11 points and three assists against UTRGV (11/17) ... Scored 14 points on 6-for-11 shooting and dished out three assists against Iowa (11/23) ... Scored a team-high 18 points on 8-for-15 shooting with three assists and two rebounds in the Rady Children's Invitational Championship game against USC (11/24) ... Tallied 15 points and buried a season-high four triples versus UAPB (11/30) ... Scored a team-best 19 points on 7-for-16 shooting and tallied seven rebounds and four assists against Providence (12/5/23) ... Enjoyed a season-high 20-point performance and added five rebounds, four assists and one steal against Arkansas (12/9) ... Scored nine points and dished out a season-high eight assists versus Green Bay (12/16) ... Recorded 14 points and a team-high three assists vs. North Carolina (12/20) ... Finished 9 for 17 from the field and scored a team-high 23 points against Central Arkansas (12/28) ... Tallied 11 points, eight assists, five rebounds and three steals against Monmouth (12/31) ... Scored a team-high 15 points and dished out five assists against Iowa State (1/6) ... Recorded a team-high 17 points and matched his career high with five 3-pointers at TCU (1/10) ... Added six rebounds and five assists against the Horned Frogs ... Tallied a team-high 17 points, four rebounds and three assists at Kansas (1/13) ... Finished 8 for 8 from the free throw line and tallied 13 points and five assists against West Virginia (1/17) ... Recorded 16 points, six rebounds, three assists and a steal at Cincinnati (1/20) ... Tallied nine points and dished out four assists versus Texas (1/23) ... Notched his third 20-plus point game of the season, finishing with 21 points and four rebounds at K-State (1/30) ... Tallied eight points and matched his career high with three steals at UCF (2/3) ... Recorded his fourth 20-point performance of the season vs. BYU (2/6), finishing with 20 points on 5-for-11 shooting ... Tallied seven points, two assists and a block against Oklahoma State (2/10) ... Recorded nine points and four assists at Baylor (2/14) ... Scored 15 points and buried three 3-pointers vs. Kansas (2/17) ... Hit buzzer-beating 3-pointer in overtime at Oklahoma State (2/24) .... Scored 14 points, two rebounds and two assists against the Cowboys ... Dished out a team-high eight assists and scored 12 points against Houston (3/2) ... Tallied five points, two rebounds and two assists at Texas (3/9).
2022-23 (SOPHOMORE AT SIENA): Appeared in 27 games (25 starts) … Averaged 15.9 points, 3.9 assists, 2.1 rebounds and 1.1 per game … Shot 43.0% (136-316) form the field, 35.6% (52-146) from three and 89% (105-118) from the free throw line … Named MAAC Player of the Week (11/14 & 11/28) twice … Recorded 18 games with 10-plus points and 12 contests with 5-plus assists … Opened the season with 20 points on 8-for-12 shooting at Holy Cross (11/7) … Scored 20 points and tallied six assists against UAlbany (11/12) … Concluded three-game 20-plus point streak to open the season against Army (11/16), scoring 21 points on 6-for-13 shooting … Recorded 18 points on 5-for-9 shooting and added eight assists versus Florida State (11/24) at the ESPN Events Invitational … Enjoyed 24-point performance on 9-for-17 shooting and added eight assists and four rebounds against Ole Miss (11/25) … Tallied 14 points, two steals and two blocks against Seton Hall (11/27) ... Recorded 27 points on 8-for-14 shooting against Canisius (12/2) … Tallied 12 points, three rebounds and three assists at Georgetown (12/7) …. Scored 23 points on 7-for-13 shooting against St. Bonaventure (12/19) … Enjoyed second straight 20-plus point contest at Quinnipiac (12/30), scoring 25 points on 9-for-15 shooting … Tallied 27 points and a season-best eight assists at Niagara (1/13) … Scored 13 points and dished out five assists at Canisius (1/15) … Recorded 17 points, four rebounds, two assists, a block and steal against Mount St. Mary’s (1/20) … Scored 22 points and finished 10-for-10 from the line at Mount St. Mary’s (2/10) … Recorded 23 points, five assists and three rebounds against Marist (2/12) … Enjoyed a season-high 30-point performance on 10-for-16 shooting against Manhattan (3/2) … Buried five 3-pointers and added six assists against the Jaspers … Concluded the season with back-to-back 20-plus point outings … Scored 22 points on 7-for-13 shooting at Saint Peter’s (3/4) … Recorded 24 points and dished out a season-high nine assists versus Niagara (3/9).
2021-22 (FRESHMAN AT SIENA): Appeared in 24 games (two starts) … Averaged 6.7 points, 1.8 assists and 0.9 rebounds per outing … Shot 48.2% (53-110) from the floor, 42.6% (23-54) from three and 84.2% (32-38) from the free throw line … Tallied a season-high six assists at Georgetown (11/19) … Scored 10 points on 4-for-5 shooting against Harvard (11/22) … Made first career start at Saint Peter’s (12/5), scoring six points … Tallied eight points and three assists against Canisius (2/1) … Recorded 12 points on 4-for-6 shooting and tallied a pair of assists against Rider (2/4) … Scored 11 points and finished 6-for-6 at the line against Iona (2/11) … Enjoyed 15-point performance on 4-for-8 shooting against Saint Peter’s (2/20) … Tallied back-to-back nine-point games at Monmouth (2/22) and Quinnipiac (2/24) … Scored 13 points on 5-for-7 shooting at Niagara (3/3) … Logged a season-high 16 points in a season-best 33 minutes of action versus Quinnipiac (3/10).
