CBB Rank 2025: No. 87, Georgia Tech Basketball

The third year of the Damon Stoudamire era comes with promise as Georgia Tech basketball adds an intriguing transfer class to an outstanding returning group.

The tradition continues! It’s another year of our countdown of the top 100 preseason teams in college basketball until the start of the season. Each day, we will reveal the next team until we reach the team slotted at number one. Up next: Georgia Tech basketball.

Damon Stoudamire increased his win count by three from year one to year two, and now hasa chance to put together his first winning season with the Yellow Jackets.

Despite losing four double-digit scorers and the team’s leader in assists per game, GTech somehow still has a solid returning group. Big man Baye Ndongo is one of the best returning players in the ACC – a tough forward who can step out and hit shots – but has a sense for offense around the rim.

Ndongo isn’t alone – also coming back are wings Kowacie Reeves Jr. and Jaeden Mustaf, who both averaged just under 10 points per game last season. 7-foot, 300-pound beast Peyton Marshall also returns, with intrigue to see how his sophomore campaign will turn out.

But Stoudamire also hit the portal hard, bringing in Miami-OH star Kam Craft and Pacific star Lamar Washington. Boston College transfer Chas Kelley III adds more experience to the bench. Together, they bolster the depth at guard and at wing for this Georgia Tech basketball team.

Finally, some talented freshmen might get into the mix, as big man Mouhamed Sylla could be on line to start at center. Guards Davi Remagen and Akai Fleming could also be key components as the season moves along.

Overall, it’s a solid group that should go anywhere from 8-10 deep and have multiple scoring options. There are enough players to facilitate and to rebound, so Stoudamire’s biggest challenge will be coaching this team up. It’s easy to see the talent – but how well can he get them to play?

Head coach: Damon Stoudamire (3rd season at Georgia Tech, 8th season overall)

2024-25 record: 17-17 (10-10)

2025 postseason finish: 

Notable departures: 

• Lance Terry (14.5 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 1.6 APG, 35.8 3P%)
• Naithan George (12.3 PPG, 6.5 APG, 4.2 RPG, 1.1 APG)
• Duncan Powell (12.2 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 0.8 APG, 35.8 3P%)
• Javian McCollum (11.9 PPG, 3.6 APG, 2.7 RPG, 1.3 SPG< 35.8 3P%)
• Luke O’Brien (6.4 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 0.6 APG, 10 GP)
• Doryan Onwuchekwa (3.5 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 0.8 APG, 10 GP)

Notable non-conference games: 

• at Georgia (Nov. 14)
• vs. DePaul (Nov. 28) – Emerald Coast Classic
• vs. Drake OR LSU (Nov. 29) – Emerald Coast Classic
• vs. Mississippi State (Dec. 3)

Projected Rotation

PG: Lamar Washington (6-4, 200, Sr.)

2024-25 stats: 13.5 PPG, 5.8 APG, 5.1 RPG, 1.7 SPG (Pacific)

SG: Kowacie Reeves Jr. (6-7, 205, Rs.-Sr.)

2024-25 stats: 9.3 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 1.0 APG, 6 GP

SF: Kam Craft (6-6, 205, Rs.-Jr.)

2024-25 stats: 13.6 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 1.0 APG, 43.1 3P% (Miami-OH)

PF: Baye Ndongo (6-9, 240, Jr.)

2024-25 stats: 13.4 PPG, 8.9 RPG, 1.6 APG, 1.1 BPG, 1.0 SPG, 53.6 FG%

C: Mouhamed Sylla (6-10, 240, Fr.)

247Sports Composite #104 overall ranked recruit

6: Jaeden Mustaf (6-6, 210, So.)

2024-25 stats: 8.3 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 1.6 APG

7: Chas Kelley III (6-3, 185, Sr.)

2024-25 stats: 4.4 PPG, 2.0 APG, 1.2 RPG, 37.9 FG% (Boston College)

8: Peyton Marshall (7-0, 300, So.)

2024-25 stats: 1.0 PPG, 1.1 RPG, 0.1 APG, 4.4 MPG

9: Davi Remagen (6-3, 193, Fr.)

International Prospect

10: Akai Fleming (6-4, 184, Fr.)

247Sports Composite #121 overall ranked recruit

Georgia Tech Basketball team MVP: Baye Ndongo

Ndongo may be the most talented and smoothest power forward in the ACC this season. At 6-9, 240, he’s got a built frame, but moves around the court with ease, and is always a threat around the hoop. The biggest strength for his offensive game is his awareness to go up strong and dunk the basketball.

Ndongo has quick reactions defensively, too, averaging 1.1 blocks per game last season. He may be slightly undersized to play center, but he’s got length, basketball IQ, and a lot of finesse. You can just tell he’s got it figured out on the court.

Heading into this year, it will all be about his ceiling. We saw what Ndongo could do as a sophomore, but now as an upperclassman, the expectations are that he should be a First Team All-ACC type of player. Sure, it’s a power conference with a lot of teams. But a lot of teams wish they had a Baye Ndongo. Georgia Tech does.

Georgia Tech Basketball make-or-break player: Lamar Washington

How will Washington translate from his role at Pacific to GTech? Of course, we should note that he started his college career at Texas Tech, and was a rotation player for two seasons, but struggled to make much of an impact. With Pacific, he found a role and excelled in it, stuffing the stat sheet in points, rebounds, assists, and steals.

Washington isn’t the best shooter in the gym, but he is a playmaker. At 6-4 and over 200 pounds, he has a commanding point guard figure, which is necessary in the ACC. But, Pacific and the WCC don’t really add up. The Tigers went just 9-24 last season, so Washington’s stats could be a bit skewed.

Right now, he seems like the choice to start at point guard around a handful of talented offensive players. Washington won’t need to score much – but he will need to set his teammates up. But can he be enough of a threat to do that at the power conference level? That will be his biggest challenge on his third team in four years.

Key analytic: FT%

It’s the simplest part of the game – yet so many teams can’t figure it out – free throws.

In two seasons, Stoudamire’s squad has finished outside the top 225 in FT%. Last year, they ranked 290th and shot a terrible 68.7% as a team. Not every team will hit 75% as a team, but they’ve got to find a way to make their free throws count more.

If GTech is competitive and it comes down to free throws, the track record says not to trust them. Someone like Kam Craft (75.8 FT% last season) is an example of a player who can help turn this around for the better. It’s a must if GTech is going to be a factor in the ACC.

Georgia Tech Basketball 2025-26 projections

Projected conference finish: 14th in the ACC

Projected postseason ceiling: NIT Appearance