Top Georgia Tech Recruit Receives Release and Reopens His Recruitment Following Damon Stoudamire's Firing

Moustapha Diop was the highest-rated recruit in the Yellow Jackets' 2026 recruiting class, but he has reportedly been released

Mar 4, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets head coach Damon Stoudamire during the game against the California Golden Bears during the second half at McCamish Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images | Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images

Georgia Tech fired Damon Stoudamire on Sunday, and today, the first player defection has occurred. The Yellow Jackets' top-ranked recruit in the 2026 class, center Moustapha Diop, has been granted a release from the school, and he has reopened his recruitment according to On3 Sports reported Joe Tipton.

NEWS: 4⭐️ Moustapha Diop has received his release from Georgia Tech and will reopen his recruitment, source told @Rivals.

The 6-10 center is the No. 84 overall recruit in the 2026 class, per Rivals. https://t.co/cQjgOkY5w1 pic.twitter.com/fuGUAV9obg

— Joe Tipton (@JoeTipton) March 13, 2026

According to the 247Sports Composite, Diop is the No. 113 player in the country, the No. 14 center in the country, and the No. 4 player in the state of Georgia. He played at Overtime Elite in Atlanta. Georgia Tech has two other four star recruits in the 2026 class, forward Jalan Wingfield and guard Kaiden Bailey. Diop is a 6'10 215 LBS center who is a shot blocking specialist and would have been a great addition to the Yellow Jackets frontcourt.

Here is the scouting report on Diop courtesy of 247Sports Adam Finkelstein:

"Diop is a physically gifted big man. He stands at 6-foot-10 with shoes on, has a long 7-foot-2 wingspan, and is a high-level run and jump athlete, particularly for his size. He excels at changing ends of the floor and has immediate value as a rim-runner and lob threat. He’s also cut-up with a frame that should only continue to fill-out and add muscle mass in a college weight room.

While Diop has glaring physical tools, he’s older for his grade (turning 19 in November of his senior year) and didn’t produce to the level expected during the recent grassroots season. He averaged 7 points, 5 rebounds, and less than a block per game in 3SSB play. It was the lack of rebounding and shot-blocking that was particularly concerning. He has all the tools to be effective in those areas, as well as enough mobility to eventually have some versatility guarding ball-screens. His offensive game is a known work in progress, so maximizing that defensive impact is critical to both his long-term success and chances to making an immediate impact at the next level.

On the other end, he’s shown some growth with his footwork, dexterity, and even has some touch to develop long-term (80% FT in 3SSB play), but his hands are still developing and he can struggle to score at times."

The search for Georgia Tech's next head coach has been relatively quiet. A report from CBS Sports analyst Matt Norlander reported that Belmont's Casey Alexander, Troy's Scott Cross, and Furman's Bob Richey were three candidates to know, but since then, Alexander has taken the open Kansas State job.

Will more players opt to leave Georgia Tech? It is, of course, possible, but it is also possible that players could be waiting to see who the new coach is before making any decisions. Stay locked in here for the latest news surrounding the coaching search and the latest around Georgia Tech's roster.