Georgia adds junior college small forward

Georgia coach Mark Fox and his staff had one more scholarship to use during the late signing period after signing four-star prospects Tyree Crump and Jordan Harris during the early signing period.

Today, they filled that scholarship with junior college small forward Pape Diatta (Twin Falls, Idaho/College of Southern Idaho) following a weekend visit to Athens.

"I decided to pick Georgia," Diatta said. "It was just the coaching staff. They made me feel comfortable. I believe in the coaches and I like their personality."

Georgia assistant Jonas Hayes played a big part in convincing Diatta, a Senegal native, to play the last two seasons of his college career as a Bulldog.

“Coach Hayes, that’s just my man," Diatta said. "I feel comfortable around him."

According to head coach Mark Fox, Diatta will bring a lot of versatility to the Bulldogs' front court.

"Pape has great versatility, and he's going to provide the opportunity for our team to play a number of ways," Fox said. "He can shoot the three. He can put the ball on the deck. He can get to the rim. We're excited about his abilities and his readiness to step in and play right away."

Diatta, who was a first-team junior college Region 18 selection during the 2015-16 season, will join the Bulldogs this fall with two seasons of eligibility remaining.

Last year, Diatta averaged 13.0 points and 8.3 rebounds per game while helping Southern Idaho's Golden Eagles to a 22-9 finish as a sophomore. Among the Scenic West Athletic Conference statistical leaders, Diatta ranked No. 12 in scoring, No. 2 in rebounding, No. 8 in blocks, No. 9, in field goal percentage, No. 12 in free throw percentage, No. 12 steals and No. 14 in assists. He upped his scoring average in conference play to 13.5 ppg.

As it turns out, Diatta knew long ago that he would end up a Bulldog.

"I knew like a month ago," Diatta said. "I saw their roster and saw that I could go in and make an impact right away. They stayed on me on hard and showed me I could have an opportunity if I go there. It was a no-brainer."

Before making a decision, Diatta had been courted by Colorado State, Georgia Tech, Penn State, Texas Tech, and Virginia Tech. He took an official visit to Colorado State before visiting Georgia.

He will sign with Georgia on Wednesday morning.