http://tv5.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/23464254/high-profile-new-coaches-face-challenges-recruiting-trail

When five-star 2019 guard Ashton Hagans originally committed to Georgia, he was the first five-star prospect to pick the Bulldogs since the database began in 2007 and the first top-ranked Georgia prospect to stay home for college since Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in 2011. Hagans decommitted a couple weeks before Mark Fox was fired, eventually committing to Kentucky, highlighting perhaps the biggest issue facing Crean on the recruiting trail. He will have to find a way to keep in-state prospects home. Georgia is one of the most fertile states for high-major recruits, and the Bulldogs just haven't been getting their fair share. Just look at the past four classes: Jaylen Brown (Cal), Malik Beasley (FSU), Kobi Simmons (Arizona), Alterique Gilbert (UConn), Wendell Carter (Duke), Collin Sexton (Alabama), M.J. Walker (FSU), E.J. Montgomery (Kentucky) and Reggie Perry (Mississippi State). And that's just the top two or three guys from every class. Crean will need to change that.

If Fox could sign some of the Top 5-10 players from the state while usually being a long shot, most seasons, to play in the NCAA's, then CTC should be able to move up a couple of spots to 3-8 ranked state players, if he can start dancing regularly, which I expect. And from there, with good coaching, UGA hoops could take off. and could start landing some of the top guys.

That's an interesting list of players lost. I have to believe Crean will change our recruiting fortunes. To this day, losing Malik Beasley just kills me. I am convinced we didn't offer him early enough. That kid was great when I saw him. This was his junior year I think, and we hadn't even offered him by that time. We should have been all over him early.

Just playing a style more conducive to allowing a player's talent to flourish will allow Crean to be more successful in recruiting. I think Crean could have gotten 4-5 of the players on that list if he had been at UGA.

Any scuttlebutt or thoughts on the third assistant hire? We need someone to recruit and work with our big men.