UGA basketball: Michael Peake departure makes size an even bigger problem
UGA basketball forward Michael Peake is entering the transfer after just one year on the team. Peake averaged 11.2 minutes per game.
If there’s one area UGA basketball couldn’t afford losing players at, its at forward. Tom Crean’s Georgia Bulldogs already lost three of the big men it entered the 2019-20 season with, freshman Michael Peake is now the fourth forward to leave the team. Peake announced he’s entering the transfer portal on Wednesday.
At 6-8 and 220 lbs, Peake wasn’t exactly a giant in college basketball, but he was one of the biggest players on the UGA basketball team. Now, Toumani Camara is the only returning player who stands over 6-8.
Size became a huge issue for the Bulldogs in December when Crean dismissed Amanze Ngumezi from the team. Georgia’s largest player Rodney Howard (6-11, 245 lbs.) transferred to Georgia Tech in April.
More from Dawn of the Dawg
- Georgia Football: Top 5 Nick Chubb Moments at Georgia
- Georgia Football: Know the enemy UAB Blazers
- Nick Chubb is America’s running back, and he will return
- Georgia Football: Should laundry list of injuries be a cause to panic?
- Georgia Football: Report cards for Week 3 game against South Carolina
But the biggest loss was junior Rayshawn Hammonds, who is entering the 2020 NBA Draft. Hammonds wasn’t just Georgia’s best big man, he was also set to be the team’s leader as he was going into his senior year.
Crean has addressed Georgia’s lack of size through recruiting. Georgia signed three-stars Josh Taylor and Jonathan Ned earlier this year. Taylor is a 6-8, 200 lbs. power forward from Norcross and Ned is a 6-9, 200 lbs. small forward transfer from Eastern Florida State College. Tyron McMillan, another three-star junior college transfer committed to Georgia in March. McMillan would be the largest player in Georgia’s 2020 class at 6-8 and 225 lbs.
While Georgia’s average height won’t change because of the incoming players, the Bulldogs certainly weren’t looking forward to rebuilding in the low post again. Peake, in particular, had a few bright moments this past season. While he likely wouldn’t have been ready for a starting role, Peake was poised for a more productive role off the bench.
Georgia is going to have to focus on forwards in the 2021 recruiting class. The Bulldogs are already among the leaders for five-star power forward Michael Foster.