THE FLATS – Latvian wing player Freds Bagatskis, a member of his country’s national U20 team who has spent the last three years going to school and playing club basketball in Spain, has signed a grant-in-aid to join Georgia Tech’s basketball team. He will enroll as a freshman for the fall semester.
The 6-foot-8 wing player is known an excellent shooter with a high basketball IQ whose father, Ainars, has been the head coach of the Latvian National Team and several teams in the Euroleague, and is currently the head coach for the Ukrainian National Team. Bagatskis will play this summer for Latvia’s U20 team in the Euro Cup and played for its U16 team in the 2019 FIBA European Championships.
“We’re excited to have Freds join our program,” said head coach Josh Pastner. “He has developed well in a rigorous program in Valencia and is a great shooter with a good basketball IQ and a great work ethic. He’s an intelligent young man, serious minded, and a good student who wants to study computer science. He should fit well in our program and at Georgia Tech.”
FREDS BAGATSKiS 2.02 Valencia Basket (Letonia '03). Euroleague B. AdidasNGT Valencia 2020-21
Bagatskis, 18, moved to Valencia, Spain at the age of 14 to take advantage of superior facilities and training program for basketball while going to school. He has been a part of the Valencia Basket Club for the past three years, playing two years for its U18 team and last year for its ACB team in the LEB Senior League. In his two seasons with the U18 team, he averaged 22 minutes, 8.9 points, 2.5 rebounds and 0.8 assists.
In the 2019 FIBA U16 European Championships, Bagatskis averaged 8.9 points, 1.4 rebounds and 0.6 assists.
Bagatskis joins transfers Lance Terry (Gardner-Webb) and Ja’von Franklin (South Alabama) as new members of the Tech team for the 2022-23 season.
Bagatskis averaged 8.9 points for the Latvian team in the 2016 FIBA U16 European Championships.
Alexander-Tharpe Fund
The Alexander-Tharpe Fund is the fundraising arm of Georgia Tech athletics, providing scholarship, operations and facilities support for Georgia Tech’s 400-plus student-athletes. Be a part of developing Georgia Tech’s Everyday Champions and helping the Yellow Jackets compete for championships at the highest levels of college athletics by supporting the Annual Athletic Scholarship Fund, which directly provides scholarships for Georgia Tech student-athletes. To learn more about supporting the Yellow Jackets, visit atfund.org.
ABOUT GEORGIA TECH MEN’S BASKETBALL
Georgia Tech’s men’s basketball team won the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament championship in 2021 after finishing fourth in the regular season. Tech has been a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference since 1979, winning four ACC Championships (1985, 1990, 1993, 2021), playing in the NCAA Tournament 17 times and playing 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.
