Georgia Tech lands 4-star guard Blue Cain for 2023 class

Georgia Tech’s recruitment of the 2023 signing class has yielded its first commitment, a four-star guard from Knoxville, Tenn. Blue Cain, a 6-foot-4 guard who has played for Knoxville Catholic High and will finish his career at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., announced his decision Thursday.

In an interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Cain said he made his decision after making official visits to Yale and Tech, the latter taking place earlier in June. He had also received scholarship offers from Tennessee, Houston, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest and Maryland, among others.

“On both my visits I took, I just really wanted to get to see the guys and really get to be in the environment and just see how I would mesh with them, and I just meshed with the players and coaching staff at Georgia tech,” Cain said. “It just felt like home.”

He is the first commitment for coach Josh Pastner among rising seniors, likely a relief after Tech had not received a commitment or signed an incoming freshman for the 2022 class until Latvian guard Freds Pauls Bagatskis committed to Tech on Tuesday.. Considered an athletic scorer, he is rated the No. 104 prospect in the class and the No. 16 shooting guard (247Sports Composite). By that ranking system, only two Jackets high-school signees were rated higher, Michael Devoe (No. 51) and Deebo Coleman (No. 67).

Tech had been recruiting him since last summer. He took his official visit to Tech earlier in June. Assistant coach Julian Swartz led the recruitment for Tech.

“From the beginning, he was just real,” Cain said. “We kind of clicked. He’s been like a big brother to me. I trust him, I trust coach Pastner, I trust coach (Anthony) Wilkins. I really like the coaching staff.”

Last year, Cain averaged 19.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.8 steals for Knoxville Catholic, according to the Knox News, and helped lead the Irish to the Division II-AA state championship game.

Yale and Tech formed an unusual final two choices. Cain said his parents have stressed to him to pick a school that offered a strong education and would set up a post-basketball career.

“And both of them are good academic schools and just the connections, the resources,” Cain said.

Cain was also looking for a team that played fast and could develop him. Cain undoubtedly took note of the progress made by former Jackets such as Jose Alvarado, Moses Wright, Michael Devoe and Jordan Usher.

“If you look at their guards, in particular, they develop their guards into elite dudes,” he said.

Cain said that Tech coaches told him that he has the chance to play as a freshman. It is one reason why he has chosen to play his final year of high school at IMG, where he will be in a more competitive training environment. In the 2022 class, four of the 247Sports Composite’s top 50 prospects were at IMG for their senior season.