Loganville Native Transferring To Georgia Tech

LOGANVILLE, GA - Loganville native and Grayson High grad Deivon Smith announced on Twitter Wednesday that he is transferring to Georgia Tech after one season at Mississippi State.

The 6-foot-1, 165-pound Smith tweeted a photoshopped picture of himself in a Georgia Tech uniform with the message: "Ima double down and bet on myself every time!"

Smith had put his name in the Transfer Portal on March 31. The point guard is expected to suit up for the Yellow Jackets next season after the NCAA on Thursday officially passed a rule allowing one-time transfers immediate eligibility.

Ranked as the No. 53 high school player, and No. 13 point guard, by Rivals.com in the class of 2020, Smith originally chose Mississippi State over numerous other offers, including: Georgia Tech, Georgia, Louisville, Miami, N.C. State, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida State and Clemson.

As a freshman, Smith started eight games and often was one of the first options off the bench for the Bulldogs, who went 18-15 and lost to Memphis in the final of the NIT. Smith averaged 5.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists.

One of Smith's best games last winter was a 13-point, three-rebound, two-assist effort in an 83-73 win over Georgia on Dec. 30 in Athens.

"I thought Deivon came in and was brilliant. It was his best game as a Bulldog," MSU coach Ben Howland told The Dispatch after the game.

Smith said he was excited to have such a strong performance in his home state with many friends and family in attendance.

"It was really sweet. I feel like I've been trying to find myself all season, and I feel like that boosted my confidence a lot," Smith said.

However, Smith ended up reaching double figures in scoring just three more times the rest of the season, including scoring 17 in the 77-64 loss to Memphis in the season finale.

In high school, Smith averaged 17.6 points, 8.3 assists, 8.1 rebounds and 3.5 steals per game as a senior for the Rams. He joins a Georgia Tech squad team that went 17-9 last season, falling 71-60 to Loyola-Chicago in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.