Georgia Tech Basketball – 2017-18 player previews: #3 Evan Cole

By Dylan Callaghan-Croley | Oct 18, 2017

ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 07: A general view of the tipoff of the Louisville Cardinals' basketball game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets during the game at Hank McCamish Pavilion on January 7, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Comer/Getty Images) /

Freshman Evan Cole will provide the Georgia Tech basketball program with versatility and a quality offensive weapon.

Freshman Evan Cole would be best described as a versatile offensive weapon for the Georgia Tech basketball program. Originally set to attend the Unversity of North Carolina Wilmington but was allowed to break his letter of intent after head coach Kevin Keatts was hired as NC State’s new head coach.

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One look at Cole and it’s safe to say that Cole was an under-recruited prospect and could be another steal for Josh Pastner and the Yellow Jackets coaching staff. A native of Forsyth, Georgia, Cole was a prolific scorer for South Forsyth High School over the course of his junior and senior seasons. In his final two seasons at South Forsyth, Cole averaged 20.5 points per game while also averaging 11 rebounds per game according to the stats provided by Georgia Tech’s official profile on Cole.

At 6-foot-9 and 211-pounds, Cole will be a useful player down low for the Yellow Jackets. Not afraid to be physical and a strong shooter, Cole could be a valuable asset to piece alongside Ben Lammers. A strong player defensively, Cole and Lammers could be quite the difficult matchup for opposing teams.

What makes Cole a versatile offensive weapon is his ability to shoot outside. While he isn’t a light out shooter from beyond the arch, his shot is strong enough to sink a strong percentage of his three-point attempts. He showcased such skill in last year’s GACA North-South All-Star Game according to RamblinWreck.com, as he hit six three-pointers en route to a 30-point performance.

The 6-foot-9 forward also possesses great athleticism as shown throughout his mixtape. His greatest asset, however, may be his basketball IQ, being able to read plays both offensively and defensively and find himself in the right position.

Last season, the Yellow Jackets saw the emergence of relative unknown Josh Okogie, another under-recruited prospect. In 2017, the Jackets could potentially see a similar emergence out of Cole. While it may not be to the same level, it’s hard to see a talent like Cole spending a season on the bench for the Jackets.