Realistic Expectations For Georgia Tech's Incoming Freshmen For The 2026-2027 Season

Georgia Tech has a top 30 recruiting class and one that is impressive for head coach Scott Cross. After being largely unknown, it is unclear how this class will look with the coaching change. Cross and the staff did a stellar job of bringing in talent that can play at a high level and complement this group well. The Yellow Jackets should be a competitive team in the ACC next winter and one that can make noise. Let’s take a look at their incoming freshmen and give some realistic expectations for each.

Kayden Allen

When you are a top 50 national recruit, the assumption is you will see the court and make an impact Day 1. Sometimes you have to temper those expectations, but with Allen’s scoring prowess and his ability to heat up and score at will, he is an enticing player who should be a starter. Now defenisvely will be the area to watch. Can he be a good on-ball defender in college, create turnovers, and make plays on that end? If the answer is yes, then Allen should be a starter despite what the Yellow Jackets added in the portal. They have long waited for a player who can fill it up offensively, but also be able to defend. It would be a new dynamic but Allen fits the bill. I think he will be an impact player Day 1, and has the most star potential out of this freshman group.

Moustapha Diop

Diop will be a frequent player on the court and should be a true defensive stopper and interior presence for the Yellow Jackets on the inside. He is known for blocking shots and being able to rim run. Look for a lot of lob dunks and blocked shots. He is exactly what Georgia Tech needs to be a force on the interior. They have struggled with their defensive inside the paint, and Diop should be an enforcer. Now will he start? That remains to be seen. It is hard to say that Cole Kirouac will play over him, but he does have a year of experience. Both could go into fall camp and battle for the starting center position. It remains to be seen, but at best Diop is a bona fide starter, and at worst he is a rotational big for Georgia Tech.

Kaiden Bailey

Bailey should see some playing time as a freshman. You couple his ability to score the basketball at a high level, distribute, and run an offense, and there is no question he will be on the court consistently. Early on, he probably will run the second unit, but there is solace in that, especially if he runs it at a high level and the Yellow Jackets don’t miss a beat. He could be that spark off the bench and player that gets Georgia Tech going when struggles or adversity arrive. He certainly has the capabilities and did it in AAU, scoring 20 points in the EYBL circuit. Bailey will be one to watch. Expect, at worst, he is a rotational guy that runs the second unit, but has the ceiling of a starter on this team.

Haiden Harper

Harper will likely have a reserve role for the Yellow Jackets in year one, especially with all of the additions and guys they got out of the portal. Georgia Tech is deep at the guard position, and they have at least two potential point guards ahead of him in Colby Garland and Kaiden Bailey. It may be hard to earn playing time early on in his Yellow Jackets career.

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