Who is Tyzhaun Claude? Former Georgia Tech star returning home to lead North Carolina
The North Carolina Tar Heels made the latest addition to their 2024-25 basketball roster behind Tyzhaun Claude’s transfer portal availability. The forward was a staple bench player for Georgia Tech, averaging 4.8 points and 5.2 rebounds in 32 games last season.
The Goldsboro native will now lace up for coach Hubert Davis for his last year of eligibility, hoping to significantly impact North Carolina and the ACC.
Who is North Carolina's new transfer, Tyzhaun Claude?
Claude is a sixth-year forward who had his NCAA career come to an end until he was granted by the NCAA to play for another year. The extension comes in light of his injuries early in his college tenure.
Claude came to the college circuit behind strong performances under coach Jeremy Ellis at Moravian Prep. Before that, he played for Goldsboro High School and averaged more than 20 points and 10 rebounds as a junior.
He suited up for Morehead State in 2019 to average 9.5 ppg and 6.4 rpg in his initial year. However, his production downgraded significantly in the next season due to injuries, forcing him to transfer to Western Carolina. Claude saw his most playing time there, enabling him to post 15.4 ppg and 8.6 rpg while shooting at 52.3% efficiency.
However, his minutes and shot attempts declined at Georgia Tech, pitting the 6-foot-8 forward against his worst college season yet. He will now join his fourth college program in his home state.
How will Tyzhaun Claude fit into North Carolina Tar Heels' program?
Claude will likely have to make the most of his last season from day one. Despite Georgetown’s heavy interest in him, the Tar Heels chose him to be the last piece in their roster. Even though his addition makes for a promising depth piece, Claude’s addition comes late. He has yet to partake in team workouts and has missed all practices so far this summer.
With that, his fit and compatibility on North Carolina’s squad is yet to fully materialize. However, even though the task at hand is tough, Tyzhaun Claude could pull it off given his experience. He has played over 100 college games and started in half of them, making him a genuine veteran of college ball. A few gym sessions and a shootaround should prove enough to help boost his chances of getting on the same page as the rest of his new squad.
How do you think the North Carolina Tar Heels will fare next season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.