Syracuse Men's Basketball lands Georgia Tech transfer Naithan George

Syracuse has its point guard.

Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Georgia Tech transfer Naithan George has committed to play his junior season for the Syracuse Orange, according to multiple reports.

George averaged 12.3 points per game, and led the ACC with 6.5 assists per game. His 34.6% assist rate ranked 33rd in the country, and he did it with a 2.16 assist to turnover ratio. He’s one of the top pure playmaking point guards in the country, and at 6 foot 3, brings size to the backcourt that SU didn’t have last season with Jaquan Carlos.

As a freshman in 2023-24, George averaged 9.8 points and 4.7 assists per game, shining for the Yellow Jackets in their wins over Clemson and North Carolina. He had his ups and downs like any freshman does, but he had a breakout sophomore year, improving on his consistency.

George nearly doubled his total of made threes, draining 60 (albeit on just 34% from beyond the arc), and improved his defensive BPR (EvanMiya) from -.26 to -.46.

In his sophomore season, George ran the pick-and-roll at a 98th percentile frequency, and the Yellow Jackets were in the 54th percentile in efficiency when George operated those ball screens.

Another key thing that George brings to the table that Carlos did not last year is experience at a high-major level of college basketball, something that has clearly been an emphasis for the Orange. While Nate Kingz didn’t play at a high-major, he played in one of the top mid-major leagues for a program that had been operating as a high-major for decades. Also, both George and William Kyle come from high-major programs.

For Syracuse to be able to poach one of the ACC’s top point guards is a major coup heading into 2025-26. He has two years of eligibility left.

I’ll have a full scouting report on all of Syracuse’s transfers in the coming weeks, but for now, here’s a look at some of George’s highlights.

Sam Federman