The Panthers do not have anything that really resembles major conference talent and they may never achieve this though they did make the one move that screams look at me.  Lefty Driesell is already a legend but has ended up in the lower rungs of college basketball and is thankful for being there.  Driesell, of course, came from Maryland after starting in Davidson and putting both programs on the national map.  Dubbed as the ‘greatest program builder ‘in college basketball the Panthers had nothing to lose to take a chance on the old southpaw and got him to migrate south.  This Duke graduate and former star player (now you know where the rivalry originated) flat knows how to coach though his methods aren’t always orthodox.  With the Terps he became one of the most polarizing figures in college sports for his intense style on the sidelines, his boisterous attitude (Remember UCLA  of the East Coast?) and of his recruiting.  He went down in flames there but has got more lives than a precocious feline and ended up in Atlanta after a stop at James Madison (the Dukes, get it).  He did work some magic at JMU but nowhere near what he did for the other two programs who are no worse for the wear, both being national programs.  At the end of his infamous career Driesell has one more chance to mold young men into basketball players and he has nowhere near the talent he was used to ‘up north.’  But we all know the ‘left handed one’ and we all know he will find a way to get some talent here.  Quickly!  He better as this Panther program has not exactly made a mark at this level as of yet and anything this guy can do to put this team on the basketball map you know Lefty will do.  He basically cleaned the decks here with the old players and is bringing in his own players from wherever he can get them (freshmen transfer for other schools who have not lost eligibility seems like his modus operandi) and one thing for sure they will compete and know how to play this game. 

One thing the southpaw can do is schedule some games against some bigger programs and hopefully get some attention to this program.  To be honest it is strange that this program is unknown with the fact it sits smack dab in the middle of one of the biggest commerce hubs in the world and has almost 50,000 students.  Of course it was intended to be a ‘night school’ when it was established so the fact it even has a program at this level is quite cool.  Bringing in Driesell will ultimately help whether he is successful or not because the attention (and players) he brings to the ATL will eventually pay dividends.  In a city of non-stop growth that went sonic when it hosted the Olympics not too long ago, this is the type of move a college needs to make to not only move forward but to put it into the orbit that other similar programs have done to build their brand.  Think blue turf and Boise State football or Hoya Paranoia!  The Panthers have a long way to go before they are confused with the likes of Duke or even in city rival Georgia Tech or heck even Jacksonville (which has really set the template for how a fledgling team in a big city can build a program).  They are trying however and they have made the first step which is of course playing the games.  And the Panthers did not back away from anyone.  They will have the toughest out of conference schedule in the A-SUN.  Of course, before the season started Driesell wants to fill the tiny GSU Sports Arena with about 4000 blue and white wearing kids for “Midnight Madness’ as soon as he can start practicing on October 15th so his kids could run the track a few times.    

Driesell knows the only way to become one of the best is to play the best.  And to do that Driesell knew he had to get some talent here and that means getting some studs from anywhere he could.  His best players will almost assuredly come from being looked over by other programs because they would have to miss some games due to the antiquated rules on eligibility for incoming freshmen.  This does not bother Lefty.  Sure they might  struggle a bit early especially since he does not have the greatest group of returning players to choose from but the big man will find a way to make this team compete.  With some of the tricks Lefty has up his sleeve you would be a fool to count our the Panthers even with a returning nucleus that looks more ready for late night TV than prime time! 

Leading the way of the returning Panthers are seniors Jim Jacobs and Ken Brewer. This duo have been the leading scorers here for a couple of years but that will soon change with the Schnizel in town.  These guys can play a little but got scholarships here way before the team got to D-1 and the likelihood of them playing more than limited minutes after Christmas are about as slim as Lefty’s waistband.  Juniors Jim Atkinson, Walker Atrice, Jackie Pogg, Ron Ricketts, Neil Purvis and Big Bob Pierson (he is only 6’7 but that is big here) are in the same boat.   Driesell has to play some upperclassmen. Or does he?  At least Pierson has borderline D-1 talent and will get a shot.  The rest will be in a struggle just to make the team.  A few sophomores coming back have much better chances of contributing but must beat out Lefty’s recruits to get minutes. 

Sophomore Lanard Copeland is the closest thing to a stud the Panthers have coming back.  He does have a great basketball physique as he goes 6’7 194.  This ATL kid is athletic and he will throw down a ball through a rim when given the opportunity but was barely recruited to stayed at home.  He has the potential to be good but he will need to learn some offensive skills to go along with his terrific defense.  And he needs to get on the court more often.  He barely played his freshman year and was stuck on the JV for most of the year but he did show that incredible athleticism though against much lesser competition.  He is nowhere near as developed as Driesell would like but he has tremendous upside and is a hard worker. 

Sophomores Chavelo Holmes and shooter James Andrews are also two returning though with way different back stories.  Holmes was JV stud who got much more time on the varsity as the year progressed.  Holmes even started the final eight games and is another good athlete.  He is only 6’4 playing a combo forward, though, and that might hurt his chances going forward. Andrews is a good shooter who has a real shot at playing this year after missing an entire year with an elbow injury. He had off-season surgery with his namesake Doctor and the prognosis is to let it fly.  The 6’3 shooting guard can hit the three and led the team in scoring the last ten games.  Another sophomore, Rondy Tucker played early on but got faded out as the year progressed due to a lack of height.  After all he is a 6’6 kid playing center but he is consistent.  Don Ross and Keven Davis are a couple more second year players who showed some promise at forward.  Ross is a 6’5 true wing who played well on JV but barely got on the court on varsity.  Davis did not even play on varsity but these two will get at least a shot with the lack of inside game this team has though some bigs are coming supposedly. Lefty loves his kids and the old players will soon realize that there starting (and for the most part playing) days were numbered as in the words of the great Glenn Frey ‘the new kids in town’ have been promised an opportunity to play right away.  BTW that is also the name of a pretty dang good movie with James Spader and Lori Loughlin from about 85.  Speaking of bigs perhaps the most talented big man on the roster is Sophomore Efrem Jackson.  He has size (6’9) and all of the skills and is transferring in from Georgia.  He might have to wait a minute to become eligible but if he does work things out he could be a huge game changer down low for the Panthers.  Driesell got a two for one from the Bulldogs as point guard Melvin Howard is also transferring from Athens and will push for minutes right away. 

The Georgia State Panthers are not in the middle of basketball nirvana.  They do not have top notch talent but Lefty is beating the bushes of every Juco in the country trying to get some kids here and with his reputation the rush is on to get to Atlanta.  They really are kind of like many other lower-league programs except of course they have a legendary coach who has already taken three teams to the Big Dance running this show. Amongst the 300 division one programs they are not the worst and with Driesell bringing in some fresh new talent things are looking up.  One thing that makes the future not only bright but a must see in the ATL is that no matter where Lefty has gone his team’s have eventually ended up at the Big Dance.  That might be asking for quite a bit from the Panthers this year but you never know, perhaps Georgia State is now the UCLA of the East Coast!