Commitment of the Week: Michael Devoe to Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech shocked basketball fans all across the country last season after defying the odds and shattering preseason projections in Josh Pastner's first season at the helm of the program. That was big for Pastner and Georgia Tech.
However, this past weekend may have been even more important in Georgia Tech's quest to return to the top of the prominent Atlantic Coast Conference.
Saturday evening, 2018 Montverde Academy (FL) point guard Michael Devoe announced his commitment to Georgia Tech, giving the Yellow Jackets their first top-100 prospect since Tadric Jackson in 2014.
Yes, you read that correctly - 2014. It took nearly five years for Georgia Tech to secure a commitment from a top-100 prospect. That's unheard of for a program with the history and past success that Georgia Tech has welcomed over the years.
In case last season's success on the court wasn't an indication, it looks like Georgia Tech is well on its way to returning to relevance in the ACC. Pastner and his staff were able to fend off a host of high-major programs for Devoe's pledge, including Florida, Ohio State, USC, and Wake Forest.
The Yellow Jackets haven't won a recruiting battle like that in quite some time - so, yes, Devoe's pledge to Georgia Tech is a big deal. And it's a sign of what's to come in the future under Pastner, too.
Georgia Tech is also firmly in the mix with one of the top players in the 2018 class, Nassir Little. In fact, Little, a five-star recruit, took his first official visit to Atlanta at the end of August. That's impressive for a program in a situation like Georgia Tech, who has under-achieved for much of the past decade.
Pastner is beginning to rebuild things at Georgia Tech. Some would argue that the reconstruction is ahead of schedule. Either way, Devoe's commitment is a huge win for Georgia Tech, and it sends the message that the Yellow Jackets are focused on competing at the top of the ACC.