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Man this is sure getting rough for Brian Gregory. He announced this Tuesday that Robert Carter Jr. would be transferring from the Georgia Tech program.
Even with missing a large portion of the season, Carter boasted an 11.4 ppg and 8.4 rebound per game average last season. For a large majority of the beginning of the season, Carter Jr. lead the ACC in rebounding.
With Holsey, Miller, and Morris graduating, Tech was already going to be struggling for size in the paint. Carter, at 6'8" 247lb, was a HUGE asset for Gregory's offensive scheme and defensive passion. Not only could Carter Jr. dominate in the post, but he could also shoot from all over the court. He was a dominant on the defensive boards and he bought into Gregory's ideals (or so it seemed).
"Transferring has become commonplace; it is now part of the culture and fabric of the college basketball landscape. You have to move on and keep building. Our returning players are poised to have exceptional seasons and we are excited about our incoming class and their ability to positively impact our program."
--Brian Gregory via RamblinWreck.com
This transfer is in addition to the transfer of Solomon Poole earlier this season. Georgia Tech recently signed A.D. Gueye at PF and Ben Lammers at C, along with Robert Sampson who had to sit this past season due to transfer rules, to fill the voids that they would be losing to graduation after this season. However, no one can replace Carter Jr from this crew in my opinion. Carter Jr. was a finalist for the USA U-19 team last summer (along with Marcus Georges-Hunt) and I think he has great potential as a player. It's too bad that he won't be sticking around to showcase his talent in White and Gold.