Georgia adds Illinois transfer R.J. Melendez | Zagsblog
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Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
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Friday / November 22.
  • Georgia adds Illinois transfer R.J. Melendez

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    Illinois transfer R.J. Melendez has committed to Georgia following a weekend visit to the SEC school.

    The 6-foot-7 sophomore from Puerto Rico averaged 6.0 points and 3.5 rebounds last season with the Illini.

    “I chose Georgia because whenever I was in high school, coach [Mike] White and [Erik] Pastrana were my first two offers from Florida and Oklahoma State and them still believing in me and trusting that I can make an impact in the program means a lot to me,” he told On3.com. “They have been the most consistent staff reaching out to me since I placed my name in the portal.”

    He initially chose Illinois in 2021 over Georgia, Florida and Oklahoma State.

    “R.J. is a Swiss Army knife on the floor,” his coach Carlos Morales said then. “He does a lot of other things besides scoring at a high level. On top of that he has a very high IQ and this will help him make a smooth transition to college. I think he will be in the NBA in the future and this will help him get there.”

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    Adam Zagoria is a Basketball Insider who covers basketball at all levels. A contributor to The New York Times and SportsNet New York (SNY), he is also the author of two books and is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker. His articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide. He also won an Emmy award for his work on the SNY mini-documentary on Syracuse guard Tyus Battle. A veteran Ultimate Frisbee player, he has competed in numerous National and World Championships and, perhaps more importantly, his teams won the Westchester Summer League (WSL) championships in 2011 and 2013. He lives in Manhattan with his wife and children.

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