THE FLATS – Victor Valdés, a 6-7 forward from Monterrey, Mexico, has signed a grant-in-aid to join Georgia Tech for the 2026-27 season, head coach Scott Cross announced on Saturday. Valdés played three seasons at Troy, helping the Trojans to consecutive NCAA Tournament berths and back-to-back Sun Belt Conference titles. Additionally, signee Kaiden Bailey (6-2 guard, Irvine, Calif.) originally signed grant-in-aid papers in November and has decided to join Cross’ 2026-27 roster.
In three seasons at Troy, Valdés appeared in 98 games, earning the start in 44, and averaged 7.9 points per game, while shooting 72.1 percent from the free throw line. The Trojans won 20-plus games each season Valdés was on the roster and captured the Sun Belt regular-season and tournament titles in both 2025 and 2026 to become the conference’s first back-to-back regular-season champion in 11 years.
“I am very fired up to have the opportunity to coach Victor Valdés for his senior season at Georgia Tech,” Cross said. “Victor is 6-7 with the vision and passing ability of a point guard. He was our leading scorer and assist leader last season on a team that won back-to-back championships and went to two-straight NCAA Tournaments. Victor has the unique ability to create offense for others but also has the ability to create offense for himself and get to the free throw line. He will definitely make Georgia Tech better!”
The Trojans’ leading scorer last year, Valdés averaged 14.8 points per game in 33 games (29 starts). He led the team in assists (148), was second in steals (45) and third in blocks (13). Valdés tallied 27 double-figure scoring games last season, including eight with 20 or more points, to earn All-Sun Belt third team honors. Against Arkansas State (Jan. 17, 2026), Valdés posted a double-double behind 17 points and a career-high 14 assists. He scored a career-high 29 points versus West Georgia (12/1/25) on seven field goals and a 13-for-16 effort at the free throw line.
Over his freshman and sophomore seasons, Valdés averaged 4.3 points per game, taking the floor in 65 contests and starting 15. He increased his scoring average by 10.4 points per game from his sophomore to junior seasons, helping the Trojans sustain their continued success. Valdés also brings international playing experience having been a member of Mexico’s national team.
Bailey, playing at Santa Margarita Catholic, was ranked a top-125 recruit by 247Sports and the No. 18 ranked point guard. During the 2023-24 season, Bailey attended Irvine (Calif.) Crean Lutheran where he averaged 23.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.4 steals over 29 games. A strong-bodied guard and shooter, Bailey registered 19 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game his junior season.
“I am extremely excited about the addition of Kaiden Bailey,” Cross said. “We knew that he was a high-level basketball player and an efficient three-pointer shooter. We also knew that he had great vision, poise and basketball IQ, but after visiting with Kaiden and his family, we were fired up even more because we could tell right away that he was an OKG: Our Kind of Guy.”
Valdés and Bailey join Cross’s signing class that consists of Tylis Jordan (Ole Miss/Milledgeville, Ga.) and Moustapha Diop (Overtime Elite/Thies, Senegal).
Full Steam Ahead
Full Steam Ahead is a $500 million fundraising initiative to achieve Georgia Tech athletics’ goal of competing for championships at the highest level in the next era of intercollegiate athletics. The initiative will fund transformative projects for Tech athletics, including renovations of Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field (the historic home of Georgia Tech football), the Zelnak Basketball Center (the practice and training facility for Tech basketball) and O’Keefe Gymnasium (the venerable home of Yellow Jackets volleyball), as well as additional projects and initiatives to further advance Georgia Tech athletics through program wide-operational support. All members of the Georgia Tech community are invited to visit atfund.org/FullSteamAhead for full details and renderings of the renovation projects, as well as to learn about opportunities to contribute online.
ABOUT GEORGIA TECH MEN’S BASKETBALL
Scott Cross was named the 16th head coach in Georgia Tech men’s basketball program history on March 20, 2026. Georgia Tech’s men’s basketball has been a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference since 1979, won four ACC Championships (1985, 1990, 1993, 2021), played in the NCAA Tournament 17 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 X (@GTMBB) and Instagram. For more information on Tech basketball, visit Ramblinwreck.com.
