Dakota Leffew injury update: Mike White provides return timeline

Georgia fans are getting closer to watching Dakota Leffew in a Bulldog uniform for the first time. The transfer guard from Mount St. Mary’s did not play Tuesday evening in an exhibition against UCF due to injury, but coach Mike White had good news on his progress.

White stated that there is a good chance that Leffew could be ready for the season opener against Tennessee Tech on Monday.

“I think he’s pretty close,” the coach said. “He’s just, especially this time of year, we’re not close to 100 percent. We’ve just gotta get healthy. We look forward to getting him back.”

A graduate transfer, Leffew brings plenty of starting experience with him to Athens. He was named first team All-MAAC this past season while averaging 17.6 points, 3.9 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game.

The 6-foot-5 guard is a 35.8% career shooter from 3-point range and ranks 10th in Mount St. Mary’s program history with 176 triples made in four seasons. He scored a career-high 34 points in a contest against Marist on Feb. 2 and has over 1,000 points for his career.

It’s unclear whether Leffew will be a starter or come off the bench to begin the year, but either way, White expects him to make an impact.

“He’s a little bit different than these other guards and right there in the conversation to potentially play a lot of minutes,” the coach said. “He gives us even more depth and, as I said on the radio, there’s been certain practices where one of these guys is the best guard and there’s been certain practices where Dakota is arguably the best guard. That’s when you know you’ve got some good depth. But he’s a talented guy. We look forward to him getting back.”

Georgia is coming off of a 20-17 record in its second season under White. The Bulldogs have not made an NCAA Tournament appearance since 2015 but with Leffew and other transfers to boost the roster hope this will be the year they break that streak.

Returning sophomores Blue Cain and Silas Demary will also be key pieces in the backcourt alongside Leffew. Georgia tips off the 2024-25 season at 7:30 p.m. ET Monday against Tennessee Tech at Stegeman Coliseum and we’ll await more on the guard’s status before then.