Mar 13, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets head coach Damon Stoudamire during the first half against the Duke Blue Devils at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

ESPN Analyst Gives Georgia Tech A Surprisingly High Grade For Its 2024-2025 Season

Originally posted on Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on SI
By Jackson Caudell | Last updated May 9, 2025 8:47 AM ET

There are a number of ways to look at Georgia Tech's second season under Damon Stoudamire. On one hand, they improved their win total by three and improved their standing in the ACC compared to Damon Stoudamire's first season. They earned a first round bye in the ACC Tournament and advanced to the quarterfinals after beating Virginia. Georgia Tech gave Duke as tough of a game as you could ask and despite the loss, there was good feeling about what had happened over the final ten games, where Georgia Tech went 7-3.

The other way to look at it is Georgia Tech finished 8th in a really poor ACC, lost another early season game to a quad four opponent, and they were never really in the discussion to be on the bubble of the NCAA Tournament. They were blown out on their home floor in the opening round of the NIT and then, two of Georgia Tech's best players (Nait George and Duncan Powell) left in the transfer portal. Georgia Tech was able to keep Baye Ndongo and Jaeden Mustaf, have one of the ACC's best recruiting classes coming in, and have filled needs in the portal. 2025-2026 will be a big season for Stoudamire.

But when it comes to this past season, what kind of grade would be fair to give Stoudamire? ESPN's Myron Medcalf had Georgia Tech as one of six ACC teams who earned an "A" grade in his offseason report card:

Grade: A

"When Georgia Tech hired Damon Stoudamire in 2023, the Yellow Jackets had reached the NCAA tournament only once since 2010. The program's favorable location in Atlanta has not given the school an advantage in the recruiting market in recent years, which is why Stoudamire's steps toward making the Yellow Jackets nationally relevant again matter. They finished 17-17 overall and 10-10 in the ACC (eighth) -- just their third .500 season in conference play since 2006-07.

Stoudamire, whose team finished 7-3 over its final 10 ACC games, continues to make progress."

While I do think Stoudamire deserves credit for some things that happened, it is hard to give an "A" to a team that once again lost to a quad 4 team, did not have a notable non-conference win, and was not close to the Tournament. The other ACC teams who received an "A" were Clemson (Tournament team), Duke (Final Four), Louisville (Biggest turnaround in the country), SMU (nearly a tournament team), and Stanford.

Will Stoudamire put it together this season and be one of the ACC's better teams? That might be a lot to ask, but that seems like the next logical step in his third season if this team is going to improve from being eighth in the ACC a season ago.