Georgia Tech’s Freds Pauls Bagatskis enters transfer portal

Freds Pauls Bagatskis played in nine games and scored eight points. (Photo courtesy Freds Pauls Bagatskis)

Credit: Freds Pauls Bagatskis

Credit: Freds Pauls Bagatskis

Freds Pauls Bagatskis played in nine games and scored eight points. (Photo courtesy Freds Pauls Bagatskis)

After one season, Georgia Tech guard Freds Pauls Bagatskis has entered his name into the transfer portal, a decision that became public Wednesday. Bagatskis, from Latvia, became the first Yellow Jackets player to seek to transfer since the hire of coach Damon Stoudamire.

Bagatskis was a late addition to former coach Josh Pastner’s final signing class, committing in June 2022, weeks before the start of the fall semester. Prior to Tech, Bagatskis played for a Spanish basketball club in Valencia while also attending high school. He also played for Latvia’s under-16 and under-20 national teams. At the time of his signing, Pastner touted his shooting ability, basketball IQ and work ethic. Xavier was among other schools that had recruited him.

This past season, Bagatskis played in nine games for a total of 25 minutes. He scored eight points, including a pair of 3-pointers.

Bagatskis’ decision leaves Stoudamire with 10 scholarship players on the roster with eligibility remaining, three short of the 13-scholarship maximum.