Georgia Tech #ProJackets Basketball ReportGeorgia Tech #ProJackets Basketball Report
Men's Basketball

Georgia Tech #ProJackets Basketball Report

News and notes on the Yellow Jackets in the professional ranks

THE FLATS – Georgia Tech basketball has an Olympic hopeful as Jose Alvarado will compete for Puerto Rico in the upcoming Olympic Qualifying Tournament … Will there be an 18th NBA season for Thaddeus Young? … more in this week’s #ProJackets Report.

ALVARADO RETURNS TO PUERTO RICO TEAM FOR OLYMPIC QUALIFYING

Jose Alvarado, who missed the 2023 FIBA World Cup due to injury, leads the 12-man Puerto Rico roster for the Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

New Orleans Pelicans guard Alvarado, who missed the 2023 FIBA World Cup due to an injury, has been included on the roster and is set to lead the squad in hopes of qualifying for the Paris Olympic Games.

Puerto Rico will play in Group B alongside Italy and Bahrein. The two best teams in the group will play in the semifinal stage against the two best teams from Group A, which consists of Lithuania, Mexico, and Côte d’Ivoire. The winner of the tournament will qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

WILL THADDEUS YOUNG HAVE A SEASON NO. 18 IN THE NBA?

Memphian Thaddeus Young has played 17 years in the NBA.

Number 18… well, that’s up in the air right now.

After wrapping up last season with the Phoenix Suns, traded there by Toronto, Young is set to become a free agent on July first. That leaves his next step and his next team, and he’s played for eight of them throughout his career, in limbo.

Right now, Young is spending his time back in his hometown where the former Mitchell high star was back at Mitchell Tuesday, putting on his annual basketball camp.

A free of charge, week long camp for kids 8 to 18. Something he’s done for the better part of a decade.

While his NBA future is yet to be determined, Young remains very optimistic about the hometown Grizzlies and the bounce back he expects this year from the Beale Street Bears.

 

#PROJACKETS ON SOCIAL MEDIA

 

Georgia Tech Eurobasket Report

Yellow Jackets currently playing pro basketball

Experienced Gani Lawal (6’9”-F/C-1988, played in 2007-10, plays pro in Colombia) was the major contributor in a Bucaros de Bucaramanga’s victory against the sixth-ranked Piratas (6-14) crushing them 104-83 in the Colombian Liga Wplay last Monday. He had a double-double by scoring 21 points and getting 13 rebounds in 26 minutes. Bucaros de Bucaramanga (2-1) is placed second in the Liga Wplay. It was his team’s eighth consecutive victory in a row. There are only two games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game will be critical. Lawal has relatively good stats this year 14.4ppg, 8.9rpg and 1.2apg in 17 games he played so far. He is a naturalized Nigerian.

Marcus Georges-Hunt (6’5”-F-1994, played in 2012-16, plays in United Arab Emirates) led his UAE team Shabab Al Ahli to a victory over the fourth-ranked NS Matrix (0-1) 92-76 in the Basketball Champions League Asia on Monday night. He was MVP of the game. Georges-Hunt scored 24 points, grabbed 9 rebounds and dished 4 assists. It was his first game for Shabab Al Ahli this season. His team is placed second in group A. There are only two games left until the end of the Basketball Champions League Asia Regular Season. So now every game is very crucial. Georges-Hunt is a naturalized Virgin Islander.

Glen Rice Jr. (6’6”-F-1991, played in 2009-12, currently in Venezuela), who plays in the Venezuelan SPB could not help Brillantes (3-9) in their last game. Despite Rice Jr.’s very good performance the fourth-placed Brillantes (3-9) lost 69-76 in a derby game to the lower-ranked (#4) Broncos in the Group I. He was the top scorer with 27 points. Rice Jr. also added 7 rebounds in 34 minutes. It was Brillantes’ third consecutive loss in a row. The Regular Season already ended. Rice Jr. has individually a very good year with high stats. He averages 17.0ppg, 3.9rpg, 2.1apg and 1.6spg in eight games.

Other former Georgia Tech alumni who play in pro basketball:

  • Moses Wright (6’9”-C-1998, played in 2017-21) plays for Olympiacos in Greek GBL
  • Ben Lammers (6’10”-C-1995, played in 2014-18) plays for Draemland Gran Canaria in Spanish Liga Endesa
  • Adam Smith (6’1”-PG-1992, played in 2015-16) plays for Surne Bilbao Basket in Spanish Liga Endesa
  • Michael Devoe (6’5”-G-1999, played in 2018-22) plays for Maccabi Urban Ramat Gan in Israeli Winner League
  • Jose Alvarado (6’0”-PG-1998, played in 2017-16) plays for New Orleans Pelicans in the NBA
  • Derrick Favors (6’10”-F-1991, played in 2009-23) plays for Windy City Bulls in the NBA G League
  • James Banks III (6’10”-F/C-1998, played in 2018-20) plays for Maine Celtics in the NBA G League
  • Thaddeus Young (6’8”-F-1988, played in 2006-07) plays for Phoenix Suns in the NBA
  • Josh Okogie (6’4”-G-1998, played in 2016-18) plays for Phoenix Suns in the NBA
  • Brandon Alston (6’5”-G-1995, played in 2017-19) plays for Parnu in Estonian KML
  • Khalid Moore (6’7”-F-2000, played in 2018-22) plays for Lavrio in Greek GBL
  • Avi Schafer (6’9”-C-1998, played in 2017-19) plays for SeaHorses Mikawa in Japanese B1 League
  • Jordan Usher (6’7”-SF-1998, played in 2019-22) plays for Perth Wildcats in Australian NBL
  • Ja’von Franklin (6’7”-F-1998, played in 2023-23) plays for Borac CA in Serbian KLS
  • Josh Heath (6’1”-PG-1994, played in 2014-17) plays for Spirou Basket Charleroi in Belgian Pro Basketball League
  • Evan Jester (6’7”-F-1999, played in 2017-19) plays for Atlanta Aliens in the ABA
  • Trae Golden (6’3”-PG-1991, played in 2013-14) plays for Ahly Benghazi in Libyan D1
  • Charles Mitchell (6’8”-F/C-1993, played in 2014-16) plays for Chihuahua Dorados in Mexican LBE
  • Abdoulaye Gueye (6’9”-C-1994, played in 2014-15) plays for Sigortam.net in Turkish TBL

The list above includes only some of alumni playing currently in pro basketball. Check complete list of Georgia Tech basketball alumni.