Sports

Five-star prospect Nassir Little to announce decision Wednesday

Georgia Tech target Nassir Little of Orange Park, Fla., is rated the No. 14 prospect in the 2018 class by ESPN. He is seen here at an AAU tournament in Las Vegas in July. While he was unable to play because of an ankle injury, Tech assistant coach Darryl LaBarrie came to the game to show his continued interest.
Georgia Tech target Nassir Little of Orange Park, Fla., is rated the No. 14 prospect in the 2018 class by ESPN. He is seen here at an AAU tournament in Las Vegas in July. While he was unable to play because of an ankle injury, Tech assistant coach Darryl LaBarrie came to the game to show his continued interest.
Oct 4, 2017

Five-star forward Nassir Little, a Florida prospect whom Georgia Tech basketball coaches have been heavily recruiting for the past two years, will announce his college decision at 6 p.m.  Wednesday, according to a tweet from his account.

Darryl Hardin, Little’s AAU coach with 1 Family, told the AJC in a text message Wednesday morning that he was “pretty sure he is choosing between Tech and UNC.” It’s believed that North Carolina is the more likely choice of the two for Little, from Orange Park, Fla.

Were Little to select Tech, he would be a most significant commit for coach Josh Pastner as he attempts to build the Yellow Jackets into a team of national prominence.

Little’s stock rose dramatically over the summer as he gained the attention of Duke, North Carolina and Arizona, among other elite teams. However, Tech, particularly Pastner and assistant Darryl LaBarrie, has been steadfast in its recruitment of Little. He honored Tech’s strong interest by making an official visit to campus with fellow Florida prospect Michael Devoe in August. Devoe, a guard, committed to Tech on Sept. 23.

What this photo says about Georgia Tech's interest in Nassir Little

Little became enveloped in the FBI investigation that has resulted in the arrests of 10 individuals with ties to college basketball, but through his AAU team denied wrongdoing. While Little and the involved schools were not named, the FBI report’s details strongly suggest the charge that Arizona and Miami and their respective apparel sponsors, Nike and Adidas, were involved in a bidding war for Little, which was reported by several news outlets.

In a statement issued by his 1 Family team, Little’s family denied asking for or being offered money by any institution or individual, saying “They were completely unaware of any of the alleged offenses that may have mentioned or contained their son’s name.”

About the Author

Ken Sugiura is a sports columnist at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Formerly the Georgia Tech beat reporter, Sugiura started at the AJC in 1998 and has covered a variety of beats, mostly within sports.

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