Jaeden Mustaf: Three Thoughts on Georgia Tech's Latest Commitment

Damon Staudamire got his man on Thursday when four-star guard Jaeden Mustaf committed to Georgia Tech. This is Staudamore’s first commitment to the 2024 class. 

Georgia Tech is coming off a big off-season, as the hiring of Staudamire has brought a lot of buzz to the Atlanta, Georgia program. The former NBA Rookie of the Year brought in eight new players this off-season, immediately putting his stamp on the program.  

Let’s discuss what getting Mustaf means for the Yellow Jackets.

Who is Jaeden Mustaf?

Jaeden Mustaf is a 6-foot-5, 205-pound guard, ranked as On3’s No. 2 combo guard in the 2024 On3 150. Mustaf chose Georgia Tech over a final group that also included NC State, Maryland, Florida State, Indiana, and Arkansas. Throughout his process, Mustaf recorded official visits to all of his finalists except Arkansas. 

Mustaf averaged 15.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.8 steals for a 28-4 Matthews (NC) Carmel Christian team that made it to the North Carolina State Championship game. This summer, playing with the Boo Williams program on Nike’s EYBL Circuit, the four-star averaged 18.6 points and 3.2 assists during the regular season. Mustaf transferred this summer to play with Atlanta (GA) Overtime Elite for his senior season.

“I like to get to the rim,” Mustaf told On3. “I take pride in playing defense and don’t like when people score on me, but also get my teammates involved and know when to pull up and shoot. I’ll watch Anthony Edwards because of our size and athleticism; watch how he gets to his spots.”

What does he bring to Georgia Tech?

Jaeden Mustaf is a tough-minded, downhill guard who is capable of putting great pressure on the defense. He lives in the paint, and he plays physically, drawing a lot of contact and getting to the free-throw line for easy baskets. 

He has good vision, able to see the floor, and make the easy reads with the ball in his hands. You also like the versatility that he brings on defense. He has the athleticism and the strength to guard the ball, and he has the size and length to switch down and possibly guard fours in some lineups. 

Mustaf plays with a toughness, something that you see on both ends of the floor. The jump shot is the main question mark and something he will have to continue working on. He is capable and has demonstrated touch as he shot 82.6 percent from the free-throw line in 132 attempts during Nike’s EYBL Circuit regular season. 

The four-star guard is a sum of his parts is greater than his individual pieces type of player. The toughness and the mindset bring consistent production across the board. Those two things will translate from day one. 

How does Mustaf fit in the lineup?

It is tricky to assume what the Georgia Tech lineup will look like next season. On paper, they have three seniors, two of whom – Lance Terry and Kyle Sturidvant – are holdovers from last year’s team. Everyone else on the roster, the other ten players, all have eligibility left after this season. 

Positionally, Jaeden Mustaf brings versatility. On both ends of the floor, he is capable of playing multiple positions. A lot will depend on how Damon Staudamire plays. Neither Nait George (freshman) nor Amaree Abram (sophomore) is like Mustaf. So there is not much overlap between him and the guards directly ahead of him. There is a little more overlap with the current juniors, Dallan Coleman, Kowacie Reeves, and Miles Kelly.

Mustaf brings toughness, and, when channeled properly, that is something that could be very hard to keep off the floor early.