Naithan George, the top available point guard in the NCAA transfer portal, has committed to Syracuse, he told ESPN on Friday.
"They told me I'm the main target, the only target," George said. "They were the main ones calling me every day, the head coach, assistants, players. I love Syracuse, the history they have. It's a winning program. We're going to bring them back to the NCAA tournament and go on a run there."
George, who led the ACC in assists at Georgia Tech this season, says he picked the Orange from a long list of schools that included North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Stanford. He averaged 12.3 points, 6.5 assists and 4.2 rebounds per game as a sophomore.
Born and raised in Toronto, the 6-foot-3 point guard said the proximity to home played a role in his decision, as his family will be able to drive to watch him play.
The Orange have a significant need at his position, with starting point guard Jaquan Carlos graduating.
"They need someone to come in and run the show," George said. "They are returning some great pieces and bringing in new ones. We're going to have shooters everywhere."
This is the third portal commitment coach Red Autry has reeled in this cycle, along with UCLA center William Kyle and Oregon State wing Nate Kingz. Autry also retained his top two scorers in wing J.J. Starling and power forward Donnie Freeman.
Jonathan Givony is an NBA draft expert and the founder and co-owner of DraftExpress.com, a private scouting and analytics service used by NBA, NCAA and international teams.