Report: Georgia Tech Forward Baye Ndongo Declares For NBA Draft, Retains College Eligibility

Jackson Caudell | Apr 17, 2024

Feb 24, 2024; Coral Gables, Florida, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets forward Baye Ndongo (11) / Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

Some interesting news came out this morning from Jeff Goodman at Field of 68.

According to Goodman, Georgia Tech forward Baye Ndongo will enter the 2024 NBA Draft while maintaining his college eligibility. This is what Miles Kelly did a season ago before opting to come back and play another season in Atlanta. Ndongo can test the NBA Draft waters and see what information comes back, but can ultimately decide to come back and play another season at Georgia Tech if he wants to. June 16th is the withdrawal date for prospects that wish to come back and play another year at the collegiate level.

Georgia Tech freshman Baye Ndongo will declare for the NBA Draft and sign with agent Eric Brest while retaining his college eligibility, a source told @TheFieldOf68.

The Senegal native was All-ACC rookie, ranked third in the country among freshmen in rebounding and 16th in…

— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) April 17, 2024

Ndongo was arguably the best player on Georgia Tech's team last season.

The 6-9 freshman missed Tech’s first three games with a hand injury but started every game thereafter either in the post or at the power forward spot, and earned a spot on the Atlantic Coast Conference All-Rookie team. The Mboro, Senegal native, who prepped at Putnam (Conn.) Science Academy, was one of only two freshmen in Division I to average 12.4 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game while hitting at least 55 percent of his shots from the floor. Only Chris Bosh (2003) and Derrick Favors (2010) achieved all those numbers as freshmen.

Against ACC competition, Ndongo averaged 12.6 points and 7.7 rebounds while hitting 55.4 percent of his shots from the floor and leading the team in blocked shots with 20.

Ndongo led the Jackets in scoring 10 times and in rebounding 18 times, while posting six double-doubles. He was named the ACC’s Rookie of the Week three times early in the season, once after scoring 21 points to lead Tech past No. 7 Duke in December, and again after scoring 12 points with 19 rebounds in a Dec. 16 win over Penn State at Madison Square Garden, and the third time after making the all-tournament team at the Diamond Head Classic.

Ndongo was the first Tech freshman since Josh Okogie to be voted to the All-Rookie team.

Tech posted a 14-18 overall record, 7-13 in the ACC, in its first season under head coach Damon Stoudamire.