After talk with Fox, Maten said he’d return

DESTIN, FLA. — Three days before the deadline to withdraw from the NBA draft, a deadline that loomed large for Georgia’s basketball program, Yante Maten and Mark Fox spoke for about 35 minutes.

They spoke about Maten’s decision, how he could develop if he spent one more year in college, what he would face if he turned pro. And two days later Maten finally announced that he would return. Fox wasn’t surprised, but he was relieved.

“I’ve had guys flip at the last minute, so until they actually send their stuff in, you don’t know,” Fox said Tuesday before SEC meetings.

Maten tested the NBA waters by entering the draft last month, but did not sign with an agent. He wasn’t invited to the NBA combine, but had workouts with at least two teams (Boston and Denver) seeking feedback.

But for as long as Maten waited until withdrawing, his standard for turning pro actually was pretty high, according to Fox.

“He had a target in the first round, which wasn’t just the first round, it was higher than that,” Fox said. “That’s a very smart move. Because if you slip a little bit, and somebody gets drafted out of place and you fall four or five spots, it can be a nightmare for somebody.”

Maten, a 6-foot-8 forward, was Georgia’s leading scorer and rebounder last season until badly spraining his knee late in the year. He has played power forward and center in college, but given his size is more likely to have a different role in the NBA.

Assistant coach opening: Alabama hired Yasir Rosemond two weeks ago for a similar position. Rosemond had been at Georgia for three years, and while he arrived with high expectations for his recruiting prowess, the results were mixed. Fellow assistants Phillip Pearson and Jonas Hayes ended up scoring more high-impact recruits.

Fox said he hoped to decide on a replacement in seven to 10 days, and he has several candidates in mind.

“We’re going to try to improve our staff. We’re always trying to get better,” Fox said. “What’s always important is that you have someone that can wear multiple hats. I want someone that can go on the road and recruit. I think we’ve got some guys who are strong in the South. Do we have someone that can maybe branch out a little bit? We need somebody that is obviously going to be a good perimeter coach, and help our players get better. Because player development cannot be ignored. I think that’s critical. And somebody obviously with experience enough to help us on the bench would be an added bonus also.”

Nonconference schedule: Georgia will play Kansas State in the Big 12-SEC Invitational. The entire nonconference schedule should be released soon, according to Fox.

Fox didn’t specify any other games, but it obviously includes Georgia Tech, which visits Athens next season. There are also road games at Marquette and Massachusetts, along with a home game against Oakland (Mich.)

“Playing tough nonconference schedules has allowed us to be prepared for SEC play, and that’s important,” Fox said.