What Is Next For Georgia Tech After Moustapha Diop Reopened His Recruitment?

Georgia Tech lost a big-time recruit yesterday after it was announced that Moustapha Diop had successfully been granted his release from Georgia Tech. Diop was a top recruit coming out of high school and was ranked as the No.84 overall recruit, per the Rivals ranking system. He was expected to be the next big man in line for the Yellow Jacket, but he will reopen his recruitment.

So what is next for the Yellow Jackets with a transfer portal upon them, a head coaching vacancy, and an uncertain recruiting class? Let’s take a look at some things to watch.

Things To Watch For

One of the key things to watch is to see if the Yellow Jackets will decide on a head coach before or after March Madness. Selection Sunday is officially tomorrow, and several candidates will be in action. One is off the board in Casey Alexander, who was officially hired by Kansas State. Bob Richey is in the NCAA tournament, and the Yellow Jackets will have to wait to see what happens with the Paladins. The other option is Troy head basketball coach Scott Cross. Here is more on Cross via our own Jackson Caudell.

“Cross was instrumental in the development of senior guard Tayton Conerway, who was named the 2024-25 Sun Belt Player of the Year. Conerway also earned All-Sun Belt First Team honors and was named the Sun Belt Tournament Most Outstanding Player. He led the Trojans in scoring, averaging 14.2 points per game while shooting 47.1 percent from the field.

Earlier this week, Troy defeated Georgia Southern to win the Sun Belt Tournament for the second straight season, and they are going to be back in the NCAA Tournament next week.

Cross has shown that he can win on the margins at a mid-major program, develop players, and most importantly, win games. Georgia Tech is a unique job and not an easy place to win, and a coach that can do those things will have a chance to win for the Yellow Jackets.”

The next question is about the recruits. Will Kaiden Bailey and Jalan Wingfield follow suit and ask out of their letters of intent? Wingfield is a state champion and one of the best players in the nation. Bailey was a top point guard from California who averaged 14.3 points on the EYBL circuit. When former head coach Damon Stoudamire landed both, it was a big deal and a difference maker for the Yellow Jackets. Both are elite recruits, and if the next coach can keep at least one of them, they are in a good spot next season. Bailey or Wingfield can make an immediate impact.

As we mentioned earlier, the transfer portal will be something to watch. Will we see more of a focus on youth or veteran guys who have played? That will answer our question and tell us all we need to know.