Impact Transfers – Part 3
ATLANTA, GA – With transfer portal news making national headlines at the college level and impacting rosters in massive ways, the similar phenomenon of the high school transfer player certainly has become a notable topic around the state of Georgia as well.
Movement of players has certainly picked up pace in recent years, and this year’s chase for every classification will potentially be impacted by one or more geography-changing hoopsters.
Part 3 goes through the remaining classifications to pull a few more notable movers, using 3 Impact Levels, all with certainly some noteworthy level of roster-alteration – MASSIVE, IMMEDIATE, ROTATIONAL:
By: Keith Agran
Deston Christian | 6-5 | PF | 2024
NEW SCHOOL: Walnut Grove
PRIOR SCHOOL: Grayson
This Warriors group had the look of a Grovetown sleeper-type before Dacula-transfer Gabe Omoregie was declared ineligible, but they’re still going to be really good and a clear 4A contender as Christian’s presence softens that blow significantly with his physical bullying play inside, giving them a 2nd quality interior option alongside improving senior Alex Cannon. Skill at guard with highly touted sophomores Marcus Smith and Tyler Jewell and swiss army knife senior Nick Tyre should mean Christian is the beneficiary of good chances, and a packed schedule of big-time opponents means more folks will get to know all the names from The Grove.
IMPACT LEVEL: MASSIVE
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Tobias Rice | 6-8 | SF | 2024
NEW SCHOOL: Washington
PRIOR SCHOOL: Westside-Macon
Central Georgia to Atlanta isn’t nearly as common as ATL to ATL school movement, but this one can have a big effect in 2A, as the Bulldogs were already looking like a contender with the likes of bruising 2024 stud Kameryn Fountain inside and lethal 2025 scoring wing Chane Bynum on the perimeter. Physical combo guard Tyrek Woods is back as well for a third year in the lineup, and adding another player 6-6 or taller to the front like the sleek and fluid Rice gives this talented bunch some roster flexibility and more critical rim protection.
IMPACT LEVEL: IMMEDIATE
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Xavier Shegog | 6-6 | SF | 2024
NEW SCHOOL: Mount Vernon
PRIOR SCHOOL: Goodpasture Christian (TN)
When this team waltzes in the gym it almost appears unfair from a pure size perspective, and there’s no shortage of skill to go with the measurables both in the frontcourt and backcourt. Primed for a deep run before the explosive and athletic Shegog arrived, he adds some eye-popping above-the-rim appeal to a frontline that already had a power option in 6-8 2023 Keith Williams and a stretch-4 option in highly regarded 6-10 2024 Dennis Scott III. Even with all this exciting size, the guard play of seniors AJ Patterson and Kenny Southall hold a lot of sway over how far this team can go in A-D1.
IMPACT LEVEL: IMMEDIATE
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William Jobe | 6-10 | SF | 2024 (pictured at top)
NEW SCHOOL: King’s Ridge
PRIOR SCHOOL: Frederica Academy
Last year’s A-Private runner-up to Greenforest returns almost completely intact and adds exciting sophomore Jaydon Cole to the rotation in a more prominent way, but the impact of a shooter the caliber of Jobe’s to a team that can already get hot from 3-land naturally fascinates. How the stretch-4 adjusts to the physical life of an ATL-Metro interior player is yet to be seen, but he’ll have ample help from 6-6 senior Micah Hoover down low. But should he evolve to take on all comers inside the paint, it will only make stellar PG Isaac Martin and wings Jack Thomas and Zak Thomas more lethal, and with Greenforest gone to A-D2 the door is surely a bit more open for the Tigers to head back to Macon.
IMPACT LEVEL: MASSIVE
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Grant Randall | 6-8 | SF | 2023
NEW SCHOOL: Mt Pisgah
PRIOR SCHOOL: McDonough
Just what the doctor ordered for a Pats team with the kind of superb guard play they’re sure to get again from top 2025 Micah Tucker and juniors Tyson Pittman and Michael Rosser. Tucker’s a game-changing talent, and having a player up front like Randall who can finish around the cup, has range out to the arc and can guard the rim with good movement opens up possibilities for Tucker and Co. in what is a fun and competitive A-D1 lineup of teams.
IMPACT LEVEL: MASSIVE
Keith Agran has lived in Georgia since 2011 and joined OTR as a National Evaluator in 2021. He previously scouted for Prep Hoops dating back to 2019 and has both a championship-coaching background on the HS-level and daily newspaper writing experience, both from New Jersey. You can reach him at keithagran1@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @BracketSage.
