With the college basketball regular season beginning to wane down, let’s take a look at some of the top 2024 college basketball recruits from Georgia and check in on how their freshman seasons are going.
McEachern Ace Bailey- Bailey has been not only one of the best freshmen from the 2024 class in the state of Georgia but also one of the most impressive in the country for the entire class. He has already been named to the Naismith Men’s Player of the Year watch list along with other great players in the country. He’s on practically every list you can think of that goes to players at the end of the season. One of his recent performances was eye-popping. Bailey scored 37 points on just two dribbles and shot an efficient 13-20 shooting from the field and 5-8 from three-point range. He is currently 11th in the nation averaging 20.2 points per game and 95th with 7.8 rebounds per game. Rutgers has depended on him and Dylan Harper to carry the scoring load offensively and Bailey has been up to the task. Bailey has crossed double-figures in every game but one this season and has shown the world what he is capable of on the hardwood. It’s been a tough season for Rutgers who currently sit 14th in the Big 10 and their tournament hopes are dwindling. The Scarlet Knight will have to finish the season likely on a winning streak if they want any chance of making the tournament. It is likely that Bailey will be a lottery pick in the 2025 NBA Draft if he decides to declare, marking another Georgia player being taken high in the draft. He will likely join Stephon Castle (Newton) as the highest Georgia player to be taken in the draft. Bailey has all the tools needed to be great at the professional level with analysts calling him a can’t miss prospect.
McEachern Jeremiah WIlkinson- Some would say that it is surprising what Wilkinson is doing to begin his career with the California Golden Bears. Wilkinson has been taking advantage of his opportunities when called upon. Wilkinson is averaging 13.4 points per game for the California Golden Bears. He is the second-leading scorer for the team this season and has been a go-to option on offense. He has scored in double-figures in five consecutive games and in two of the past three he has scored 20 points. Wilkinson hit a career-high 30 points in an overtime victory over Miami on January 25th. California is currently 11-11 and the 11th team in the ACC and will likely have to win out and do some damage in the ACC tournament to make the national tournament. The Golden Bears will need Wilkinson to lead the charge in their hopes of making a late-season run.
Lovett Christian Anderson- Anderson starred at Lovett High School in Atlanta before making a move out of state his senior season of high school. At the prep level, he was known as a prolific scorer and he has brought some of that scoring prowess to college. This season he is the fourth-leading scorer for the Texas Tech Raiders averaging 9.4 points per game. One of the notable games of his freshman season came against the No. 3 team in the country. The Raiders fell to Iowa State but Anderson dropped 18 points on 6-11 shooting and was 4-4 from three-point range. Anderson has been relishing his role and continues to get better as the season has gone on. Anderson plays for one of the top teams in the NCAA with a chance to make a run in the tournament.
Grayson CG Gicarri Harris- Harris helped bring Grayson its first-ever state championship in program history in his prep days. In his first year of college, Harris is averaging 3.8 points per game, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.1 assists for the Purdue Boilermakers. Don’t be fooled by the points-per-game average for Harris. He is still a freshman and playing for a quality basketball team at the next level. One thing to note is that he is starting to see an increase in minutes played per game and is seeing more action under head coach Matt Painter. Harris hit a career-high nine points against Indiana in 22 minutes played in his most recent outing. Harris certainly has the tools to be elite at this level. It is just a matter of when it will happen.
Kell CJ Brown- I still believe that Brown was an underrated prospect coming out of high school but he didn’t let that deter him from winning two state championships with the Kell Longhorns. At the collegiate level, Brown plays for the USF Bulls. While his team is struggling at 11-11 on the year, Brown is playing some good basketball as of late. He is shooting at a more efficient clip from the field and seeing an uptick in minutes. In a recent 94-72 loss to FAU, Brown was one point shy of his career-high 16 points he hit against Tulsa. He is driving to the paint more and more to get to the charity stripe. Brown has also been one of the most efficient scorers in this class shooting 49.5% from the field. I think he will be a player you will continue to see get better as his career goes on and will be one of the better basketball players to come out of Kell High School.
Sandy Creek Micah Smith- The 6’7 forward was one of the best players to come through the Sandy Creek program scoring over 1,000 points, winning two state championships, and being named 3A Player of the Year three times throughout his prep career. Whenever it was a big game, Smith performed at a high level. In a state championship win over Johnson-Savannah, he had a double-double finishing with 15 points and 13 rebounds and was named finals MVP. Smith is currently at Georgia Southern and is averaging 4.2 points per game, 2.4 rebounds and 0.9 assists. Smith is averaging 14 minutes a game for the Eagles. He scored a career-high 10 points in a 90-82 win over the University of Louisiana-Monroe. He is still coming into his own at Georgia Southern but has shown some flashes as a freshman early in his career.
Kell Peyton Marshall- The former Kell big man was a force on the interior in his high school days and was unguardable once he hit the paint. He is currently at the University of Missouri. Missouri is one of the best basketball teams in the SEC and is currently third in a crowded SEC. The former four-star prospect is in a heavy guard and perimeter offense so it has been tough for him to find minutes this season for Missouri. It is more of a factor of the system and how it is being run. Marshall is averaging 1.1 points per game and 1.3 rebounds. Don’t expect his numbers to stay like this, however. We know from his high school days that he was one of the best big men the peach state had to offer. Missouri has a senior-laden team and has a chance to make a deep tournament run this season. Marshall if he returns next year should be a bigger part of the equation on both ends of the floor.
West Forsyth Will Moore- The former West Forsyth star is averaging 3.6 points per game on 34% shooting as a freshman for Marshall this season. His minutes have been sporadic throughout the season with some games Moore saw the court more and others seeing limited action. Early in the season, he was seeing more minutes and took advantage of his opportunities hitting double figures in two of the first six games dropping 10 points against South Carolina State and 12 points against Toledo. Moore was known for his elite shooting and ability to slash to the rim in high school. I think he has shown some flashes of that early on in his career. The key for Moore will be making an impact when he steps on the floor since his minutes in year 1 have been so sporadic, but he has shown he can be a contributor for the Thundering Herd.
Grayson CJ Hyland- Hyland was known for his up-tempo plays and his ability to go coast to coast on a fast break with ease. He was also a big catalyst in helping Grayson win a championship last year. Hyland is currently with West Carolina averaging 5.1 points per game, 2.3 rebounds, and 2.0 assists. Hyland is averaging 22 minutes per game. He is still finding his rhythm in year one with the Catamounts shooting 32% from the field and 27 % from three but that comes with the game. One of his best games came against Bellarmine where he dropped a career-high 12 points. Hyland has seen more minutes on the hardwood as of late gaining more trust with the coaching staff leading to more time on the floor.
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