May 4, 2018
THE FLATS – Former Texas basketball player James Banks, a 6-10 post player from Decatur, Ga., is transferring to Georgia Tech and will join the Yellow Jackets’ program for the summer term, head coach Josh Pastner announced Friday.
Banks comes to Tech after playing two seasons for the Longhorns. He will sit out the 2018-19 season in accordance with NCAA transfer rules and then have two years of eligibility remaining with the Yellow Jackets. In 46 total games at Texas, Banks averaged 1.7 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 10.7 minutes per game.
“We’re excited to have James join our program,” said Pastner, entering his third season on The Flats. “He give us much needed size and he’s a very good shot-blocker. He’s been very well coached at Texas, and he understands high-major basketball. He runs well. We want to play faster, with better pace, and he will help us do that. He’s got a chance to really develop in our system, and we’ve done a very good job of that here.”
Banks played in 32 games as a freshman at Texas, averaging 1.7 points and 2.5 rebounds in 12.4 minutes per game, and ranked second on the team with 39 blocked shots. He recorded at least one block in 20 of the 32 games in which he appeared. He played in 14 games last season, averaging 6.8 minutes, 1.6 points and 1.7 rebounds while blocking 11 shots.
A native of Decatur, Ga., Banks attended La Lumiere School in La Porte, Ind., as a high school senior, leading the Lakers to a 27-4 record. He was ranked as the No. 49 overall prospect in the nation by Scout, No. 57 by ESPN and No. 83 by Rivals following his senior year. He averaged 23 points and 14 rebounds per game in his junior season while playing at Mount Vernon Presbyterian School in Atlanta.
He joins the Tech program this summer along with a trio of freshman rated the nation’s No. 34 recruiting class – 6-5 guard Michael Devoe from Montverde Academy in Orlando, Fla., 6-7 forward Khalid Moore from Archbishop Molloy High School in New York, and 6-9 forward Kristian Sjolund from Obra D. Tompkins High School in Katy, Texas.
Tech lost two seniors from its 2017-18 squad – guard Tadric Jackson and center Ben Lammers – and has seven of its top nine scorers returning.
ABOUT GEORGIA TECH MEN’S BASKETBALL
Georgia Tech’s men’s basketball team is beginning its third year under head coach Josh Pastner. Tech has been a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference since 1979, won three ACC Championships (1985, 1990, 1993), played in the NCAA Tournament 16 times and played in two Final Fours (1990, 2004). Connect with Georgia Tech Men’s Basketball on social media by liking their Facebook Page, or following on Twitter (@GTMBB) and Instagram.
For more information on Tech basketball, visit Ramblinwreck.com.
