A third Georgia basketball player transferring
Georgia basketball player Ebuka Anyaorah has requested and received a release from his scholarship, the school said Wednesday.
He becomes the third player since the end of the season to leave the Georgia program. Like the first two, Anyaorah said he intends to transfer elsewhere in hopes of more playing time.
A 6-foot-4 guard from Suwanee, Anyaorah averaged 10.5 minutes per game as a redshirt freshman this past season, scoring 2.7 points per game. He sat out his true freshman season after surgery to repair a stress fracture in his right tibia.
The other two players to depart the program since the season have found new schools. Forward Drazen Zlovaric signed with Tennessee-Chattanooga and guard Demario Mayfield with UNC-Charlotte.
Anyaorah, Zlovaric and Mayfield were recruited to Georgia by former coach Dennis Felton.
The rest of today’s UGA news:
Hot seat? Or not? Taking the temperature of Richt’s job security.
“We’ll be fine. Russ will do his job.”
UGA’s Adams advises caution about SEC expansion (and other notes from SEC meetings).
Follow @ajcuga on Twitter for the latest Bulldogs news, notes and anecdotes.
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76 comments Add your comment
skeered
June 2nd, 2010
7:46 pm
This Fox fellow has a little bit of Nick Saban in him.
jesse james
June 2nd, 2010
7:49 pm
Let them go hunt more playing time. They don’t want to work and fight for playing time. Their AAU coach probably kissed their butts.
south
June 2nd, 2010
7:53 pm
just another sign Fox has this UGA program on the rise…these are average performers now going to schools where they probably should have been to begin with.
Good luck to them, and a big thanks for their contribution.
Pope UGA XXIII
June 2nd, 2010
7:53 pm
This one is a bit strange since this young man was contributing
towards the end of the season. There may be something we are
not aware of, but you can blame players for wanting more PT.
This is also an indication that he anticipated sitting a lot more
during the upcoming season.
Herschel Talker
June 2nd, 2010
7:58 pm
Mark Fox > Paul Hewitt
Dixie Clear
June 2nd, 2010
8:11 pm
uga has a basketball team??
Gordon
June 2nd, 2010
8:11 pm
Herschel,
No one at Tech disagrees. In fact, I think Dennis Felton > Paul Hewitt.
Uga wants to know
June 2nd, 2010
8:16 pm
The real question is, is Chan Gailey > Paul Hewitt?
hammerhead
June 2nd, 2010
8:18 pm
Pope – don’t confuse being on the floor with contributing… Yes, Anyaorah got some playing time, but overall he was a liability… Not an SEC level talent. Nothing against the kid and I wish him well, but he realized there was no chance of him playing significant minutes at UGA,
Mr. ACC
June 2nd, 2010
8:25 pm
This guy is a nut; an up and coming contributor to the UGA program. He could not start for UGA, but, MAYBE NEXT YEAR! Go start for a mid-major, or D-11 if you think you are going pro anywhere else. But, I promise you, don’t demand more playing time, earn it; you may have, your just do not have the brain or attitude enough to realize it! I have watched you play, you just were not ready to start this year; you played your role well at the end of the season, you just can’t wait for your time, what you going do when you get benched at the next lower level? I’m an ACC follower, but I live in Athens, I like the Dogs, to bad you leave a great coach and team on the rebuiling side, what kind of message are you sending to your next LOWER LEVEL team. Who gave you the right to demand anything, your crip classes to hard; are you kin too DaRick Rogers?
jesse james
June 2nd, 2010
8:40 pm
Dixie Clear – Are you here legally?
Stan the Man
June 2nd, 2010
8:45 pm
10 minutes per game and an average of 2+ points to show for it? Transfer. Please!
BobDawg
June 2nd, 2010
8:49 pm
This is a Huge sign the program is on the rise quickly…These kids just got caught at the wrong place at the wrong time…. McPhee graduated just in time as he would not have been in the starting 5 this next year either….
82Dawg
June 2nd, 2010
8:49 pm
Sounds like the kid in grammar school……If you don’t let me have my way I am taking my ball and leaving. Good bye! You earn your playing time.
guy
June 2nd, 2010
8:50 pm
If you can’t stand the heat,get out of the kitchen!
VinceVanGo
June 2nd, 2010
8:52 pm
I don’t know if it had anything to do with it but I read somewhere during the Marcus Thornton recruiting that Coach Fox said that Travis Leslie may play more at the 2 position. That and the fact that he would have probably been the 5th guard in the pecking order without Leslie playing there might have something to do with it. Either way another Felton recruit who was promised who knows what has bit the dust. Good luck to him, better luck to the Dogs and Coach Fox. There were two players that ESPN Basketball Recruiting had on the Dogs considering list, a 6′5″ small forward and a 6′4″ shooting guard, maybe one of them will get an offer and sign on.
BigCaliDawg
June 2nd, 2010
9:02 pm
Y’all notice how every time someone on our current roster leaves, we sign another incoming freshman baller?
In INCAA hoops, the best players every year are one and done freshmen. True freshmen CAN have a huge impact on a team right away. We already have 3 good pieces in place, irregardless of the Freshmen. We are closer than we think.
If a kid is a high school graduate, was legally enrolled, is matriculating, and will help us win, run his country ass out there. GATA!
Floundering Fox Hounds Batman!
June 2nd, 2010
9:04 pm
Wow just another lime lite grabber who didnt get his way. Too bad UGA has the same problem in football but Logan did decide to stay.. Time to recruit some corn fed guys both in football and basketball.
HD
June 2nd, 2010
9:05 pm
Irregardless is not a word. You’re confusing “regardless” and “irrespective.”
tomtrojan
June 2nd, 2010
9:11 pm
Coach Fox will not tolerate ‘Marginal’ players! Within two years you will be proud of UGA basketball! He did it for UNR, he will do it at UGA!
sansho1
June 2nd, 2010
9:28 pm
Ebuka did some good things last year, and was our only guard who could drive and get his shot. I thought he’d be up for more playing time this year as the fourth guard, but I guess it wasn’t enough. Oh well, good luck to him.
Chuck Allison
June 2nd, 2010
9:30 pm
Tech fans think Mike Fox is a much better coach than Paul Hewitt. Tech fans and students desperately want Hewitt to just go away.
Coffee Bluff Dawg
June 2nd, 2010
9:36 pm
I saw UGA play few times this year and Anyaorah made a decent contribution. However, Fox has recruited some players that would limit Anyaorah’s playing time even more than last year.
Good luck to Anyaorah and look out SEC East.
BigCaliDawg
June 2nd, 2010
9:42 pm
Dang, thanks grammar cop.
My bad…….must be that dang Muscogee County school system that failed to guide me down the grammatically correct path as a youngun…….
AltamahaDawg
June 2nd, 2010
9:49 pm
Yes you earn your playing time if it there. It might not be. Playing college ball is voluntary. A game. He has no moral obligation to stay and waste his college years if its very clear that he is not going to be able to earn more time. You have to know that he and his parents and the coaching staff talked about this for a long long time.
Best of luck to him, and I hope he ends up having a great experience wherever.
And I’ll bet you that Fox has already called a few places on his behalf.
jonjon
June 2nd, 2010
9:52 pm
yall stupid. ebuka is the truth and will make a name for himself where ever he goes
amazing
June 2nd, 2010
9:55 pm
Chuck Allison, If you think Mike Fox is good, wait to you see Mark Fox in action.
AltamahaDawg
June 2nd, 2010
9:59 pm
Look its not like the kid quite in the middle of the season pitching a fit. Or left a team that was really relying on him. And it’s not like he was bailing to go find a better team. He openly admit that “it’s not you, It’s me”. If your kid was convinced that he needed to transfer from one college choice to another, I am damn sure you wouldn’t be calling him names.
covingtonYellowJacket
June 2nd, 2010
10:00 pm
@ Hershal- I don’t think you’ll find a GT fan that disagrees! See? We CAN find common ground! lol.
steve
June 2nd, 2010
10:01 pm
I remember GT recruited him heavy in high school. I wonder where he is going?. Watched him in high school and the kid can ball.
Good luck to him
AltamahaDawg
June 2nd, 2010
10:02 pm
Or that Malykahni Fox from the tech school of chemistry.
Matt the Brave
June 2nd, 2010
10:08 pm
Real simple equation people. He didn’t have the grades anymore. You can skirt for one year, but after that you’d better go to a school that’s going to let you take basket weaving more than once.
Bill
June 2nd, 2010
10:15 pm
I thought Ebuka was going to turn it on this year. This indicates things are going to really look up next year though. No reason to criticize Ebuka for leaving. It’s a silly concept in this day and time when just about every coach would leave in a heartbeat if someone threw a few more crumbs at him.
This is a two or three year building plan, gang
June 2nd, 2010
10:17 pm
UGA is no where in B Ball and has basically been no where, since I watched Herby White there in the 6os ( yes, he played in the NBA with Pete Maravich ) and UGA’s Ronnie Hogue and one or two others.
Hugh Durham delivered a fairly respectable program ( Final Four in 78 ) for a few years, but it dimmed for reasons un beknown to me. Too long ago to even matter.
M Fox has a plan. Folks ……….for UGA that says alot. We will judge his results within 3 or 4 years.
I say that we have a winner with Mark Fox.
Go Dogs
UGA, class of 71 and 73
truthbetold
June 2nd, 2010
10:22 pm
You guys need to do your research and/or follow grassroots more closely.
Ebuka was a hot commodity because he scored the ball well his senior year in HS. However, the reason he put up points is because he played on a sub.500 North Gwinnett club and played every minute and took every shot. Even in 30 point blowouts he was in there gunning it in the 4th.
Felton asked if Ebuka’s averages were legit and he was TOLD by other HS coaches that they were not, but he didn’t listen. Now Fox is cleaning up the mess.
CrackDaddy
June 2nd, 2010
10:25 pm
Look, who would not want to get out of Georgia!
bnwdog
June 2nd, 2010
10:37 pm
HD
Actually, Irregardless is in the dictionary so that makes it a word. Non-standard, but a word just the same! Sorry, realize this is completely off topic but couldn’t help myself.
Best of luck to Ebuka! While he likely would have provided solid depth at some point in his career he could clearly see that his playing time would be limited and the likelyhood of starting was quickly dimishing with the quality of talent it appears FOX is going to be able to bring to UGA
NGWitness
June 2nd, 2010
11:06 pm
This is a blow for UGA basketball. Not a big one but still a loss. Ebuka is a good player. Most kids dont control the high schools they go to. They grow up in an area and play against their competitions. Considering he played against norcross (gani, aminu) and dropped huge numbers. Dunked on two different players. (i saw at the game-watch tape). avg like 30 while being face guarding the entire game.
Ebuka probably faced double and triple teams his entire NG career. And still put up huge numbers. 2nd to Trey thompkins in points scored. Had offers from Tech, Michigan, Colorado, and Texas-A&M.
I beilieve it was a smart move by him. Few new coaches want their players and only their players. Its still early in his entire to explore other better opportunties.
Im rootin for the kid (only because Ive seen him play and no big time talent). Plus i doubt a kid would leave georgia right now unless the grass was greenier on the other side.
Good luck to him. Ill be following his career and if he makes it- I wonder what some of u guys will say then.
Bulldog38
June 2nd, 2010
11:08 pm
Well said bnwdog. It is one thing to come on a blog and play the role of grammar cop. It is an entirely different animal when you correct someone that actually used a real word in the proper context. Big Cali Dawg even spelled it correctly. That is too funny!
This kid is actually a pretty good on-ball defender and not a bad shooter. However, he could see the writing on the wall. Travis Leslie is being moved to the two guard because that will be his position in the NBA. The incoming sharp shooter named Brantley from Dublin by way of a junior college in Florida will be Leslie’s backup. The Dawgs are going to shock the SEC this season!
Ha
June 2nd, 2010
11:12 pm
ebuka should go to gt and play uga…. and scored like 20 while hitting the game winner. Now that would be a funny story.
GO GT
UH cougar
June 2nd, 2010
11:23 pm
This is not necessarily a sign that UGA’s program is getting better.
This is a common phenom when you have a new coach mixed in with players that he didn’t recruit. I played Div. I basketball and I can tell you first hand that a coach can have a huge affect on a players game. Some guys are simply better in a spread style offense and others fit better in a set offense. I didn’t see uga a whole lot but it did appear that ebuka was a slasher/scorer so with travis doing majority of the ball handling there wasn’t much room for ebuka to play his style.
From 11-3 to 14-0
June 2nd, 2010
11:38 pm
——————————
NESBITT for HEISMAN
——————————
Taco
June 3rd, 2010
12:02 am
I can’t stand you UGA mutts but you do have a B Ball Coach!
Jeff
June 3rd, 2010
12:03 am
I think coach Fox is steadily building a solid foundation that will help UGA hoops for years to come. He showed a lot of promise in his first year — hope he does even better as he gets HIS recruits in, and doesn’t have to make things work with inherited players.
In fact, I have several Tech friends who have told me “You guys got a steal with your basketball coach — I would trade Hewitt for him in a heartbeat!” To me, that says a lot — other schools have taken notice that Fox put together a pretty good team with duct tape and twine this past year (translation: not much talent but he got the most out of them.)
Imagine what Fox could do with players on Tech’s roster… oh well, good luck ‘Dogs… GATA!
NewnanDawg
June 3rd, 2010
12:30 am
Good Luck to Ebuka – he was a great team member this year – to a few who said he could only make grades for a year – Duh, he was in his second year due to his redshirt because of injury. This is obviously a difficult part of the team building that occurs with a new coach and good recruiting class. This should work out well for all involved. Good Luck to Ebuka and Go Dawgs!
Big Harry Dawg
June 3rd, 2010
12:38 am
AMF and good luck!
Guru
June 3rd, 2010
1:40 am
How about you wait until Fox wins something first. Maybe a winning season first, eh?
Even Hewitt took a team who missed 2 straight tourney appearances and made the tourney with his first squad at GT. As with Hewitt the first couple seasons can be deceiving, you won’t know how good Fox is for another 2-3 years. And he needs to actually prove something before calling him a great coach, they went 14-17 only two more wins than Felton had his last year.
KevinM
June 3rd, 2010
3:54 am
Turning over the roster again this year? Didn’t we just witness some of this last year? Obviously, Fox is cleaning house and moving players out. Its gonna cost him some games and there might not be a bench when the season starts.
Well, there are teams that play only 6 or 7, so perhaps the deliberate offense that Fox runs doesn’t wear down players.
Damon Evans
June 3rd, 2010
4:31 am
Yeah…he’s building a program all right. How many guys do we need to have a team?
Willa
June 3rd, 2010
7:38 am
Rats leaving a sinking ship.
Great!!!
June 3rd, 2010
8:06 am
It looks like all the untalented riff-raff recruited by Felton can see the writing on the wall and have transferred to lower division schools more commensurate with their abilities. Coach Fox is already proving to be an excellent recruiter and can use these new scholarships to acquire players with talent to match his excellent coaching abilities! Go Dawgs!
» SEC links: Tennessee legend Haywood Harris dies John Clay’s Sidelines
June 3rd, 2010
8:08 am
[...] Georgia basketball player Ebuka Anyaorah has requested and received a release from his scholarship, reports Tim Tucker of the AJC. Anyaorah is the third player since the end of the season to leave the program. [...]
TRUTH
June 3rd, 2010
8:08 am
73-66!!!!!
73-66!!!!!
73-66!!!!!
The Georgia Bulldogs are the reigning state champions in basketball (eat your heart out Techies!)
Mark Fox is clearly a much better coach than Paul Hewitt!!!!!
Go Dawgs!!!!
Jeckyll Island
June 3rd, 2010
8:14 am
30-24!!!
30-24!!!
30-24!!!
30-24!!!
30-24!!!
30-24!!!
UGA as usual owned the termites in the termites tiny little Bobby Dodd Stadium!!!
UGA state champs in football and GT is NOT! (but GT was champs of a lower tier conference)
Mark Richt is 8 out of 9 against the buzzy little insects!
73-66!!!
73-66!!!
73-66!!!
73-66!!!
73-66!!!
73-66!!!
Mark Fox proved he could beat GT’s most talented basketball players in the nation (but way overrated as a team!)
UGA state champs in basketball (not OVERRATED GT!)
JJ
June 3rd, 2010
8:16 am
I don’t believe some of these kids leave voluntarily, but under a strong suggestion. So quit blaming them and calling them traitors. Keep in mind they were recriuted by a desparate loser.
SEC links: Tennessee legend Haywood Harris dies « MrSEC.com
June 3rd, 2010
8:20 am
[...] Georgia basketball player Ebuka Anyaorah has requested and received a release from his scholarship, reports Tim Tucker of the AJC. Anyaorah is the third player since the end of the season to leave the program. [...]
Dawglasville
June 3rd, 2010
8:30 am
I’m in my office, listening to the birds outside, reading this blog and am very surprised that it has been rather civilized. (It got a little crazy at the end). This may be the dawn of a new day. Keep hope alive.
Irma in Tallapoosa
June 3rd, 2010
8:44 am
Keep in mind that in the third major sport, baseball, Georgia Tech ran the table on UGAy this year in one of the most humiliating beatdowns in history.
A mind is a terrible thing to waste. Responsible parents don’t send their kids to a party school like UGA.
As a public service, I offer the 2010 score for the big game in Jacksonville:
Florida 45
UGAy 13
Geez Louise
June 3rd, 2010
8:44 am
A numbskull wrote: “have to make things work with inherited players.”
I think most coaches would love to inherit Thompkins and Leslie. Yes?
Beat downs Galore
June 3rd, 2010
8:45 am
Any players arrested over the holiday weekend? Somebody had to be doing something wrong at 2:00 am……..
Geez Louise
June 3rd, 2010
8:47 am
Edited in the name of detente
A fine, but perhaps slightly confused person wrote: “have to make things work with inherited players.”
I think most coaches would love to inherit Thompkins and Leslie. Yes?
The Georgia coast
June 3rd, 2010
8:48 am
There ain’t no “c” in Jekyll.
Rex
June 3rd, 2010
8:49 am
It’s kind of sad to see all the Dawg fans getting so excited this year (just like the year before, the year before that, etc.). How long is it going to take for UGA fans to realize that UGA is simply no longer relevant in the SEC? In the national picture, UGA isn’t even a blip on the radar, and hasn’t
been since the preseason #1 ranking two years ago.
Sit back and be grateful for the seven or eight wins you’ll get every year. Coaching genius Mark Richt may take you to 10-2 or even 11-1 occasionally, but Florida will still win the SEC, meaning no BCS bowls and no top 15 final ranking. Most years, UGA will be very lucky to finish in the top 25, and only after a big bowl win over a nobody opponent.
It’s a different world now, andDawg fans, like FSU and Ole Miss fans, need to adjust their expectations dward to reflect reality.
Unfortunately nothing is going to change until UGA changes its mediocre coaching. That’s where the difference is, and that’s why everyone outside Bulldog Nation just laughs at Dawg fans getting so excited year after year about what a great recruiting class UGA gets. It doesn’t matter how many
blue chip high school plays go to UGA, they simply don’t get the coaching they would get at Florida or Alabama, to name two schools whose programs are far ahead of UGA. And that’s not going to change as long as Mark Richt is in Athens.
Get your heads out of the sand and face reality. And mediocrity and irrelevance.
82Dawg
June 3rd, 2010
8:53 am
@Beat downs Galore …..I guess you need to call Coach Meyer and check and see if anyone feel asleep at the wheel while stop at a red light.Or if any computers are missing…..
rocky topper
June 3rd, 2010
9:12 am
If he transfers, at least he will be on a better team! He knows this!
Dawglasville
June 3rd, 2010
9:15 am
Rex – Thanks. I’m glad that there are so many out there who are quick to point out how delusional Georgia fans are. If you don’t mind, I would like to return the favor by pointing out that Georgia fans find you quite delusional to think that your opinion actually means jack squat.
Old Tech
June 3rd, 2010
9:28 am
Is Fox cleaning house to clear up more scholarships?
Chucky
June 3rd, 2010
9:35 am
How many of you have actually watched UGA’s basketball team play in the past five years and how many of you are simply basing the Dennis Felton era on what you’ve read and only got remotely interested in UGA basketball last season? Let’s just be honest…
Another UGA BBaller To Transfer « MrSEC.com
June 3rd, 2010
10:06 am
[...] Anyaorah has been granted a release from the Georgia basketball program and will transfer to a new school in hopes of finding more playing time.Anyaorah is the third player to transfer from Athens since the end of the season. He averaged 10.5 [...]
The Greatness Ever
June 3rd, 2010
10:17 am
To unGreat!!! and the rest the haters. I guarantee u… He ends up better than most players on that roster. Fox didnt clean house. I sure he wouldnt want a proven player of the bench to leave. If given more pt earlier in the season, he could have easily avg- 7-8 pt/game. 9 against FLORIDA.. 7 against TENN. The kid can play and will only get better.
And if he goes pro, i wonder what the FEW stupid uga fans will say then. Stop the hating and watch what happens in 2-3 yrs. Maybe he is getting off a sinking ship.
Be serious UGA is not a basketball school and when the finger pointing begins…… remember i told u so. Smart move by him
GO GT-should have came here from the beginning. I told him too
T.C
June 3rd, 2010
10:19 am
See thats why the state of ga have the worst fans in all of sports,they kick you when your down back stab you when your gone and don’t care about your well doing.
lazydawg
June 3rd, 2010
10:35 am
Coach Fox is doing a great job in Athens,he put’s the best players on the court. The best of luck to these young men and wish them all the best.
Tech"em"
June 3rd, 2010
11:03 am
Good day for Tech. Uga stinks. Get ready for our rematch. I smell a blow out. ha ha
BuzzGT
June 3rd, 2010
3:17 pm
I don’t think that 10.5 minutes per game is that bad for a Freshman. Transferring is not the easiest way to get more playing time. The easiest way is to play good defense, rebound the ball, and in general hussle (scoring some points doesn’t hurt either).
Bill
June 3rd, 2010
5:54 pm
Players leaving UGA getting off a sinking ship? Oh, some of you are going to be eating a lot of crow soon. UGA could be a Final Four team this coming season. I know that may sound crazy, but look at how many close loses we had last year. While I believed Ebuka would be a good role player, G. Robinson should shine, as well as the transfer guard–loads more points from our guards. Thompkins, Leslie, Price, Ware, and Barnes should all be improved–with 4 of these playing their last year at UGA. Crowds will increase 30-40%, with an upgraded Stegman helping a little.
james T. Kirk
June 4th, 2010
8:39 am
And the Fox implosion continues!!