Key pieces of Georgia Tech’s 2021 ACC championship team, Khalid Moore and Bubba Parham both are seeking to play elsewhere for their final season of eligibility.
Both have entered the transfer portal, coach Josh Pastner told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Moore’s entry became public Monday and Parham’s Wednesday.
“They’re both graduating and are going to finish their COVID year at another school,” Pastner said.
Neither decision came as a surprise to Pastner. Both are players who, having demonstrated their ability to play in the ACC, likely are looking for spots where they can be more of a team’s focal point. Moore started 63 games for the Yellow Jackets over four seasons (playing in 117), including 30 of the team’s 32 games this past season.
“They've done everything the right (way) for Georgia Tech, for us, and so we wish them nothing but the very best, and they're always part of the Georgia Tech family."
As a senior, Moore averaged 5.2 points and 3.4 rebounds per game while shooting 40.9% from the field. He brought value to the team with his effort and versatility, able to play on the perimeter but also defend the post. He is on track to graduate this semester with a business degree.
Parham is recovering from a preseason knee injury that limited him to two games this season. In the 2020-21 season, he averaged 6.7 points, 2.6 rebounds and had 36 assists and 13 turnovers in 25 games.
A Brookwood High grad, Parham came to Tech as a transfer from VMI in 2019 with a well-earned reputation as a 3-point marksman – he led the Southern Conference in scoring as a sophomore – but developed as a tough defender and effective ballhandler.
Pastner often cited Parham’s absence this season as a significant factor in the team’s downturn from the previous season (the Jackets finished 12-20 and 14th in the ACC) as he could have provided scoring help and experience. The team’s abundance of young guards, such as Deebo Coleman and Deivon Smith, leaves more uncertainty about Parham’s role if he were to stay. He is expected to graduate in May with a bachelor’s degree in history, technology and society.
His transfer will be more involved than a typical grad-transfer case. This past season was his extra COVID-19 season of eligibility. He will have to receive a waiver from the NCAA for an additional season, as he lost the 2021-22 season to injury. However, Parham meets the qualifications for a waiver, and it would seem a formality for him to receive it.
“They’ve done everything the right (way) for Georgia Tech, for us, and so we wish them nothing but the very best,” Pastner said, “and they’re always part of the Georgia Tech family.”
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