Maryland lands Robert Carter, forward transfer from Georgia Tech

Ray Slover

Maryland lands Robert Carter, forward transfer from Georgia Tech image

Maryland missed its first shot to land Robert Carter Jr. On Friday, the former five-star recruit decided the school is where he will resume his venture in college basketball.

Carter, a 6-9 junior-to-be, left Georgia Tech after two seasons. He made visits to St. John's and South Carolina before getting the grand tour at College Park.

And just like that, coach Mark Turgeon puffed up his recruiting class.

Carter is a solid player who comes off a season in which he averaged 11.4 points and 8.4 rebounds for the Yellow Jackets. He's a power forward who recovered from a knee injury to finish last season strong.

Carter's arrival allows Turgeon to replace Charles Mitchell, who left the program because of family problems. Carter also has a connection to the Terps with Trayvon Reed, a high school and AAU teammate.

NCAA rules say Carter must sit out the 2014-15 season but will have two years' eligibility at Maryland.

Carter left the Jackets saying he wanted to be in a place to better pursuit his dreams of playing in the NCAA Tournament and becoming a pro. He might have had those opportunities at Tech.

In addition to Carter and his incoming recruiting class, Turgeon will get to woo former West Virginia guard Terry Henderson this weekend.

"I'm very excited," Carter said in quotes provided via Scout.com. "I went through the process. I had some great schools that recruited me. It was a tough decision. I just feel like this was the best decision."

He complimented Turgeon.

"Throughout the process he called me when I decided I was going to transfer," Carter said. "He laid out a plan on what he would help me do and I liked it.

"He was a coach in the NBA," Carter added. "He was on a NBA staff. He has a great staff around him and is very good at skill development. The weight guy helped transform Dexter Pittman's body and helped Alex Linn game weight."

Maryland confirmed Carter's decision. The obligatory Turgeon quote:

"We're excited to welcome Robert to the University of Maryland men's basketball program. We had a great visit with Robert and his parents, Robert Sr., and Linda, and welcome them to our family. Robert is a tremendous young man and he will be an outstanding teammate and leader. He is a complete player with a strong offensive skill set that complements his desire to rebound and defend. Our program is thrilled to have him as we transition into the Big Ten."

Ray Slover