3 Days to Tipoff: Transfer Players

With the season around the corner, we take a look at some new faces in the program.

Javian McCollum

McCollum can be considered the big fish brought in by this coaching staff this offseason. After averaging 13.3 points per game last year at Oklahoma, 247Sports ranked him as the #41 transfer in the country, while ESPN ranked him as the #31 best transfer.

McCollum is an excellent shooter off the dribble, actually scoring at a much higher rate than he did on his catch-and-shoot jumpers. This applies to both three-point shooting and mid-range jumpers. He is also extremely quick, using his explosiveness to get to the rim with ease, making him a scoring threat from anywhere on the court. Last season, Javian used that combination of off-the-dribble shooting and explosiveness to become one of the best pick-and-roll players in the country. One could definitely envision a scenario where he and Baye Ndongo build a lethal PNR connection as the season progresses.

As the primary ball handler most of the time he is on the court, McCollum was also able to find his teammates, averaging 3.4 assists per game last year. Lastly, he can be someone Tech can trust late in games, as he is an elite free throw shooter, making 94% of his attempts last season.

Luke O’Brien

After four years at Colorado, O’Brien decided to move on for his final year of college eligibility and now finds himself in Atlanta. He played in 101 of 105 games over the last three seasons for Colorado, cementing himself as a key role player for the Buffaloes. Last year, he saw a career-high in scoring at 6.7 points per game while starting in 19 contests.

As a 6’8” wing, O’Brien uses his size to be effective on the boards, averaging 4.7 rebounds per game over the last two seasons. While he can hold his own inside, his biggest threat might come from behind the three-point line, where he shot 38% last season—much-needed production for a Tech team that ranked 246th in three-point shooting last season.

Duncan Powell

Powell, who started his career at North Carolina A&T, transferred to Tech from Sacramento State, where he averaged 12.1 points and 7 rebounds per game last season. He is an excellent rebounder, especially on the offensive glass, where he ranked among the top 100 players last season. For his size, Powell is a strong passer, averaging 2 assists per game last season. Most of his scoring comes from the post, and he works most effectively when posting up. However, he can still score from behind the arc when needed, averaging 1.7 attempts per game last season and making 29% of them. On December 21, Powell recorded a triple-double against Bethesda, scoring 13 points, grabbing 15 rebounds, and dishing out 10 assists.

Ryan Mutombo

Mutombo transferred to Tech from Georgetown, where he averaged just 4 minutes per game last season but has the potential to be a diamond in the rough. Mutombo is a former 4-star high school recruit out of Atlanta who played in 27 games and averaged 12 minutes per game as a freshman. However, he saw his playing time decrease each season since. Perhaps a change of scenery can reignite Mutombo, who showed so much promise early in his career. At 7’2”, Mutombo’s biggest strength is his size, and he is a highly skilled shot blocker and rebounder. Ryan is the son of former Georgetown and Atlanta Hawks star Dikembe Mutombo, who tragically passed away earlier this year.