Georgia basketball gets SEC starter from transfer portal to add to latest roster shake-up

The latest addition to the Georgia basketball transfer portal could be the most impactful.

At least judging by the ratings on transfer portal 247Sports and On3.

Mike White and the Bulldogs on Friday picked up the commitment of Vanderbilt transfer Tyrin Lawrence, the Commodores’ second-leading scorer last season. He announced his decision to On3.

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Lawrence averaged 13.8 points and 5.1 rebounds per game last season as a senior after averaging 13.1 points and 4.4 rebounds the season before.

Lawrence, who led the Commodores last season with 39 steals, has scored 20 or more points in consecutive games against Arkansas, LSU and Kentucky. He shot 39.9 percent from the field and 27.2 percent from 3-point range.

Lawrence is ranked as the No. 82 player in the transfer portal by 247Sports and No. 114 by On3.

He becomes the Bulldogs’ fifth transfer and seventh newcomer.

The other transfers are forwards Justin Abson (Appalachian State) and RJ Godfrey (Clemson) and guards Dakota Leffew and De’Shayne Montgomery (both Mount St. Mary’s).

The Bulldogs also signed top-50 players five-star forward Asa Newell and four-star center Somto Cyril.

The Bulldogs bring back just three scholarship players from last year’s team, all rising sophomores who were starters at the end of the year — guards Silas Demay and Blue Cain and forward Dylan James.

This article originally appeared in the Athens Banner-Herald: Vanderbilt guard Tyrin Lawrence commits to Georgia basketball