ATHENS — And then there were 12.
That’s how many players coach Mike White has to work with now that Jaxon Etter and UGA have agreed on his return for next season. The 6-foot-4 guard from Woodstock, a former walk-on who became a regular contributor for the Bulldogs, announced via social media Wednesday night that he is remaining at Georgia. He’ll be a senior next season.
Etter entered his name into the NCAA’s transfer portal last month. He thanked White “for allowing me the opportunity to stay at the University of Georgia.”
Etter becomes the fifth letterman from last season’s team to return for next season and the second to come back after entering the portal. Leading scorer Kario Oquendo did the same thing.
Also returning are 6-8 forward Jabri Abdur-Rahim, 6-10 center Braelen Bridges and 6-7 forward Jailyn Ingram. Eight other players from last season’s team either remain in the portal or have settled on new schools.
Etter started 22 games as a junior last season. He averaged 5.1 points, 2.9 rebounds and nearly one drawn-charge per game.
Etter’s return gives the Bulldogs 12 players so far for the 2022-23 season, which will be the first under White. White coached the Florida Gators the previous seven years before athletic director Josh Brooks tabbed him to succeed Tom Crean in March.
White has brought in six players via the transfer portal: 6-10 center Frank Anselem from Syracuse, 6-2 guard Mardrez McBride from North Texas, 6-0 guard Justin Hill from Longwood, 6-3 guard Terry Roberts from Bradley, 6-6 wing Jusaun Holt from Alabama and 6-7 wing Matthew-Alexander Moncrieffe from Oklahoma State. The Bulldogs also signed KyeRon Lindsay, a 6-8 Top 100 recruit from Denton, Texas.
The NCAA allows 13 scholarship players in men’s basketball. The spring signing period for new recruits continues through next Wednesday.
As it stands now, Georgia’s 2022-23 roster combined to score a total of 100.6 points last year. The Bulldogs’ previous roster combined to score 45.9 points during the 2020-21 season.
Meanwhile, it appears that White also has added a new strength-and-conditioning coach to his staff. According to the Jackson Clarion-Ledger, Collin Crane is leaving Mississippi State to direct UGA’s strength program. Crane had been at State the past five seasons under coach Ben Howland. He had been an assistant strength-and-conditioning coach for Florida basketball under Billy Donovan from 2012-14 before moving on to director positions at Missouri State and Chattanooga.
Sean Hayes, who led the basketball team’s strength program since 2014, will remain with UGA Athletics.
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