Derrick Favors, state’s top recruit, picks Ga. Tech

Derrick Favors didn’t want to leave the state, but picking Georgia Tech wasn’t a slam dunk.

Favors, the nation’s No. 1 center prospect from South Atlanta High, said Wednesday that Georgia was his favorite after his official visit there last summer.

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Jason Getz/jgetz@ajc.com

South Atlanta’s Derrick Favors will bring his high-flying style to Georgia Tech.

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But Favors chose Tech on Wednesday, drawing cheers from about 20 Tech fans who came to his news conference televised live by ESPU from Buckhead.

“It’s probably just the history, the number of guys they put in the NBA, the number of guys Georgia put in the NBA,” said Favors, who will sign in April. “I wanted to play in the ACC. … I love Georgia, but when I was at home thinking about it, I’d rather beat at Georgia Tech.”

Favors also said he was a big fan of Tech’s 2004 Final Four team that starred Jarrett Jack and B.J. Elder.

Favors is rated the No. 1 prospect at any position by Scout.com, the No. 2 player by ESPN and the No. 4 player by Rivals.com.

He gives Tech perhaps its best class ever under Paul Hewitt and one of the best in the nation.

Tech has signed guards Glen Rice Jr. of Walton and Mfon Udofia of Miller Grove and forwards Kammeon Holsey of Hancock Central and Brian Oliver of Oak Hill Academy in Virginia. All but Oliver are rated among the top 100 players nationally by Rivals.com, which had Tech’s class at No. 9 before Favors’ commitment.

A few fans brought basketballs for Favors to autograph after his announcement.

“I’m getting it for my son,” said Joey O’Dell, a Tech fan whose son Drew is 11. “I came down for Dwight Howard [the Orlando Magic center who turned pro out of Southwest Atlanta Christian], and this is going to be the next superstar. I told my son I’d come down and get it for him.”

Michael Reddick, Favors’ high school coach, says his star player might not be in college long.

“He’s headed to the next two levels,” Reddick said. “College for sure, and if he keeps developing, I think it will be a very short college stay. I can see him playing in the NBA for a long time.”

Reddick compared Favors to Josh Smith of the Hawks but said Smith was a better leaper while Favors was better at playing with his back to the basket.

But Favors didn’t want to be labeled a pure post player.

“I can play power forward, small forward,” he said. “[Tech] will use me for my scoring ability and rebounding, and they’ll use me on the wing for my athleticism and give me the freedom to show my ball-handling skills.”

Favors contradicted himself when asked the chances of him leaving Tech early, first saying “I don’t know the chances now” but later conceding, “I think the chances are good. … I’ll wait till I get there and work as hard as I can.”

Favors is averaging over 28 points, 12 rebounds and 4 blocked shots for South Atlanta (14-1), which is ranked No. 1 in Georgia’s Class AAA.

South Atlanta plays Thursday in Birmingham against LeFlore of Mobile in a 9 p.m. game televised on ESPN2. Favors will go against LeFlore’s DeMarcus Cousins, who is generally rated the No. 2 post player in the 2009 class.