With the recent announcement that Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets forward Duncan Powell would forego his senior season in favor of the possibility of being a draft selection in this year's NBA Draft, it leaves a hole in the Yellow Jackets basketball program heading into next season. So what exactly does Powell's departure mean for the Yellow Jackets moving forward?
Perhaps the biggest question heading into next season for the Yellow Jackets now is who will stay, as Baye Ndongo remains the only player still on the roster that finished in top four on the team in points per game last season, with Powell declaring for the NBA Draft, Lance Terry graduating, and Naithan George hitting the transfer portal.
Heading into next season, the Yellow Jackets will now have to fill three starting spots in the lineup, and it could be a combination of names, depending on if seniors Kowacie Reeves Jr and Luke O'Brien can get injury waivers granted for another season of eligibility. If they are not, then the Yellow Jackets could enter panic mode, as they would need to put together a roster of unproven players and hit the transfer portal hard for spots in the starting lineup.
Powell was presumably going to be paired with Ndongo, creating one of the best frontcourts in the ACC next season, but with Powell declaring for the draft, it seems that the Yellow Jackets are deeply reliant on Ndongo and his decision to stay or transfer out in the offseason. If he chooses to leave, it would be something that could be catastrophic for the Yellow Jackets next season.