Georgia basketball lands Virginia Tech center P.J. Horne

Georgia basketball has landed another transfer in the form of Virginia Tech center P.J. Horne.

The 6-foot-6, 220-pound Horne entered the transfer portal last weekend before and choosing to play basketball for the Bulldogs next season.

“Growing up in Georgia, you see those Georgia flags everywhere, you see all the Georgia football and basketball fans,” said Horne, who is getting his bachelor’s degree in sociology. “So for me, it’s a dream to play for my home state school.”

WATCH: Tom Crean unplugged, how he’s building another winner

Horne is set to graduate in July and is transferring because of his desire to be closer to home amid the coronavirus,

“Georgia is getting the best guy I ever coached in 20 years,” said Eric Holland, who before his role as principal at Rome High School won two state titles coaching Horne at Tift County.

“They’ve had a real tough family situation, his aunt just got out of the hospital,” Holland told DawgNation. “His mom and dad were concerned with him being so far away at school.”

Georgia coach Tom Crean told DawgNation last week one of his goals this season was to recruit some experience.

Junior Tye Fagan is the only returning player who is an upperclassmen, the rest are freshmen who were a part of the nine-man 2019 recruiting class that included Anthony Edwards and ranked No. 5 in the country.

There are no holdovers remaining from the Mark Fox era as Crean enters his third season as head coach.

Horne fits Georgia’s need for an interior player after the departure of 6-foot-9 forward Rayshaun Hammonds, who declared himself eligible for the upcoming NBA draft.

Horne was a three-star prospect coming out of Tift County High School in 2017, then rated the No. 208 player in the nation and the No. 15 player in Georgia.

It was first reported that Horne entered the transfer portal last weekend, with Virginia Tech coach Mike Young confirming as much with a statement on Monday, saying “We wish him well in all of his future endeavors.”

Horne averaged 7.6 points and 4.2 rebounds per game last season.

“What I want is a team that can switch, a team that can play multiple ways,” Crean told DawgNation last week.

“We don’t need to get anyone that will slow us down or clog that lane. We have to get to the basketball, but we have to be able to run.”

Horne joins graduate transfers Andrew Garcia (6-5, 228, Stony Brook) and Justin Kier (6-4, 197, George Mason) among the Division I additions.

The Bulldogs also added a pair of junior college transfers in the former of Eastern Florida State players Mikal Startks (6-0) and Jonathan Ned (6-9).

Georgia’s 2020 class also includes incoming freshmen K.D. Johnson (6-1, Hargrave Military) and Josh Taylor (6-8, Norcross).