Georgia basketball announced earlier this week that Mark Fox’s former assistant at Nevada, David Carter was hired has an assistant coach.
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On paper, this doesn’t seem like a spectacular hire for Georgia basketball. David Carter was the head coach of Nevada basketball from 2009 when Mark Fox came to Georgia. Carter went 98-97 at Nevada and was fired after the 2015 season. And Nevada is anything but a powerhouse in college basketball.
Most recently however, Carter was an assistant at St. Mary’s, who just so happens to be a powerhouse among mid-major programs. St. Mary’s defeated Georgia in the 2016 NIT. But overall, his résumé isn’t anything special besides two high school state championships in California.
However, that doesn’t mean that Carter is a bad hire. Fox is very familiar with having coached over him at Nevada for several years. Wednesday, Fox called Carter a great teacher, evaluator and recruiter. When the two were at Nevada, Fox credited Carter with signing Ramon Sessions, JaVale McGee and Kirk Snyder; three players who went on to the NBA.
And recruiting is what Georgia needs to keep up in the SEC. Until Tyree Crump arrived in Athens last season. Fox had only signed one four-star prospect out of high school at Georgia. The Bulldogs have since added Rayshaun Hammonds to that list.
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The Bulldogs are also targeting other big-time recruits like Drue Drinnon and JoJo Toppin (Hammonds teammate at Norcross). If Carter is the recruiter that Fox says he is, expect these two to arrive on campus in 2018.
Recruiting aside, Fox also believes that he will help out Georgia perimeter players. Out of all the units on this Georgia basketball team, the perimeter needs the most improvement.
Besides, J.J. Frazier, none of them produced much. Juwan Parker (a rising senior) had moments where he was great, as did true freshmen Crump and Jordan Harris. But as a whole the unit left a lot to be desired.
Georgia is going to need Parker to step up, Harris and Crump to not play like freshman anymore and for more production from Turtle Jackson. And fans would welcome a good freshman season from Teshaun Hightower.
So good recruiter, good teacher especially for perimeter players and chemistry with Mark Fox. It definitely seems like Georgia basketball made the right hire by choosing Carter. But time will tell how effective Carter will be at Georgia.
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In the long run it might not even matter. If this team doesn’t make the the NCAA Tournament, it will be very difficult to justify keeping Fox and his coaching staff. The 2017-18 Georgia basketball team will be the most talented and deepest team of the Mark Fox era.
Carter should give the team the boost it needs to reach their potential. But if this team doesn’t reach that potential, Georgia needs to make changes.