ATHENS — While Georgia football was setting NFL draft records this weekend, Georgia basketball coach Mike White and his new staff were doing some good work as well.
The Bulldogs added three players to their 2022-23 roster and suddenly are closing in quickly on having a full complement of players. White added two transfers and a Top 100 national recruiting prospect in KyeRon Lindsay of Denton, Texas.
So impressive was this latest haul that it’s hard to determine which addition might be the most significant. Certainly the 6-foot-8, 205-pound Lindsay stands out simply because of his recruiting pedigree and what that might signal to other blue-chip prospects coming out of high school and AAU programs.
Likewise, though, the transfers of center Frank Anselem from Syracuse and Mardrez McBride from North Texas are impactful from the standpoint of providing immediate contributions and experienced depth.
Anselem, a 6-10, 216-pound sophomore, has played in 36 college games, including 32 last season and six starts. And while his overall numbers are modest – 2.6 points and 3.8 rebounds playing an average of 14 minutes – he was picking up steam toward the end of last season. He recorded nine points and 15 rebounds in an ACC Tournament game against Florida State. He also finished second on the team with 17 blocks.
McBride, first and foremost, provides an immediate 3-point presence. The 6-2, 180-pound guard shot nearly 40% from beyond the arc last season. Twelve of his 3-pointers came in the Mean Green’s last two games of the season. A former junior college transfer, he comes to Georgia as a graduate transfer after starting all 60 games at North Texas.
Meanwhile, Lindsay’s addition represents a victory for White and the Bulldogs in an extremely competitive recruiting battle. Lindsay was committed to UNLV for a long time. But his loyalty waned after Rebels assistant Carlin Hartman left to join the staff at Florida. Lindsay reopened his recruitment, and White and the Bulldogs swooped in.
Rated a four-star prospect, Lindsay averaged 23.3 points and 11.6 rebounds as a senior last season at Guyer High in Denton, a thriving community located just north of Dallas and Fort Worth.
The thread running through all three additions is they all have Georgia ties. Anselem is a native Nigerian who attended Westlake High and Lincoln Academy before moving to California as a high school senior. McBride graduated from Butler High in Augusta. Also, the family of Lindsay’s father is from Savannah.
The three new additions give the Bulldogs 11 players for next season. That includes four returnees and four other transfers. That means White can still sign two more players who can suit up before next season.
Players seeking transfers had to have their names in the NCAA’s portal by Monday. Meanwhile, the spring signing period for recruits continues through May.
GEORGIA 2022-23 BASKETBALL ROSTER
Returnees:
- G/F Jabri Abdur-Rahim, 6-8, Jr.
- C Braelen Bridges, 6-10, Gr.
- F Jailyn Ingram, 6-7, Sr.
- G Kario Oquendo, 6-4, Jr.
Transfers:
- G Justin Hill, 6-0, Jr. (Longwood)
- G Terry Roberts, 6-3, Sr. (Bradley)
- G/F Jusaun Holt, 6-6, So. (Alabama)
- G/F Matthew-Alexander Moncrieffe, 6-7, Jr. (Oklahoma State)
- G Mardrez McBride, 6-2, 180, Gr. (North Texas)
- C Frank Anselem, 6-10, 215, So. (Syracuse)
HS signee:
- PF KyeRon Lindsay, 6-8, 205, Denton, Texas
