Lindsay happy to be "home"

KyeRon Lindsay hails from Denton, Texas, but Georgia has always been on his mind.

Corny clichés aside, Lindsay told UGASports that having the opportunity to play in the Peach State was, in fact, a huge reason to commit to the Bulldogs Saturday.

“Playing in my family’s backyard was my dream growing up; it was my family’s dream,” said Lindsay, whose family calls Savannah home.

“Growing up, being around Georgia since I was six, bleeding that red, black, and white, it was an easy decision,” he said.

The Bulldogs and head coach Mike White are equally happy to have him on board.

The 6-foot-8, 210-pound small forward was the nation’s 112th-ranked player. He originally signed with UNLV but was granted his release and went back into the recruiting pool after the school made a head coaching change.

Lindsay averaged 23.3 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 4.3 assists his senior year at Denton Guyer High, where he was named District 5-6A MVP and the seventh-best recruit in Texas for 2022.

He held 24 offers and was courted by numerous others before setting on the Bulldogs after taking a visit to Athens on Friday.

His mind was basically already made up.

“It was just to doublecheck and make sure,” Lindsay said. “The last time I was here I really didn’t get to experience it at all. Seeing the coaching staff, having a home visit with them, seeing the coaches again made my decision a lot easier. It was just a double check.”

Lindsay was one of three players who committed to the Bulldogs Saturday, joining Syracuse transfer Frank Anselem and North Texas transfer Mardrez McBride.

“That was just a coincidence,” said Lindsay, who added White’s belief in him as a player was another reason he felt so at home in Athens.

“I wouldn’t say it was a pitch, I just think it was him believing, with the right coaching staff and players, that Georgia basketball could be as great as football,” he said. “I believed in that. It made my decision easy, knowing that this team would be in good hands with the coaching staff, and having good players, we could win.”

Lindsay seemed undeterred by the fact last year’s team finished a mere 6-26.

With players returning like Kario Oquendo and Jabri Abdur-Rahim, along with other talented transfers already on board, Lindsay believes a turnaround could come quick.

“For sure. Seeing Coach White’s resume, seeing the coaches he has around him, Coach (Erik) Pastrana, Coach (Akeem) Miskdeen and Coach (Antonio Reynolds) Dean, it’s like a super team on the coaching staff,” Lindsay said. “Maybe I can team up with Kario and Jabri, help get this team back to winning.”

Lindsay said earlier conversations with Oquendo and Abdur-Rahim helped convince him of that.

“The last time I was here, they told me Georgia was a great environment, it was a great campus, and how the fans were all super excited about sports. That drew me in,” Lindsay said. “Then it came down to me realizing how good a season Kario had, and the same with Jabri. I thought we could become a three-headed monster if we teamed up.”

Lindsay believes he’ll fit in just fine.

“I think with my playing style, I can fit I anywhere,” Lindsay said. “I’m kind of like the glue guy, the X-factor. I can do anything, anything that my teammates need me to do, I know I can get it done.”