Georgia Basketball Post-Season Checklist
Georgia basketball's season likely reached its disappointing end Thursday night with an early exit from the SEC Tournament, losing a thriller to Missouri in the second round. Georgia will end the 2020-21 season with a 14-12 record if it's not invited to the National Invitational Tournament. That's unlikely since the NIT is fielding only 16 teams this year.
Year 3 under head coach Tom Crean was a mixed bag. On one hand, the Bulldogs ended the season with a winning record and outplayed a few superior opponents. On the other hand, Georgia had several ugly losses with dramatic cold spells from three-point land and turnover-prone play.
History suggests Crean is capable of producing magic next season. He brought Marquette to the Final Four and Indiana to the Sweet 16 in his fourth seasons at each school. Can Georgia enjoy similar success in 2022? It's possible if it accomplishes these three things.
Bring back Justin Kier and/or Andrew Garcia
The NCAA granted all college athletes a free year of eligibility during the 2020-21 season. So, all three of Georgia's graduate transfers can return for another year. The two the Bulldogs will likely pursue the most are Kier and Garcia.
Kier is a good three-point shooter, which is what the Bulldogs need. He's capable of stretching defenses in the half-court game, allowing Sahvir Wheeler and K.D. Johnson to shred defenses in the paint. Kier is also an excellent defender averaging 1.7 steals per game.
Garcia adds a physical presence in the paint. He doesn't have the size to dominate in the post, but he's able to sneak into open looks because of his athleticism.
Sign Michael Foster
This would totally change the perception of Georgia basketball entering next season. SI99 power forward Michael Foster recently narrowed his final three choices to Georgia, Florida State and the NBA G-League. While the G-League seems to have become a trend, he's clearly giving serious consideration to spending a year in college.
Foster is the big man Georgia needs. He has plenty of size and he knows how to use it. Plus, he's a fantastic athlete capable of finessing his way past post players he can't bulldoze. On top of that, Foster has a good mid-range shot and an improving long-range one.
Foster would make an immediate impact on Georgia's squad. For starters, he's ready to dominate the SEC now. Secondly, his presence would allow Toumani Camara to play his natural position.
Sign a player from the transfer portal
Georgia was too reliant on the transfer portal last year, but that doesn't mean it should neglect the portal this year. There is one player Crean and his staff need to take a serious look at: Au'Diese Toney from Pittsburgh.
Toney is a combo guard who is a very good shooter. He drained 46 percent of his shots this past season, ending the year averaging 14.4 points per game. Toney isn't known as a three-point shooter, but he has his nights. He had eight games where he shot at least 40 percent from long range. Toney is also a solid contributor on the boards averaging 5.9 rebounds per game.
