Photo by Devin P. Grimes / MTSU Sidelines
Story by Carl Coates / Sports Reporter
He is not your traditional shooting guard. Many that have seen him play would say he is uniquely agile, athletic and has the build of a running back, not a shooting guard. Over the past four years, Giddy Potts has steadily progressed into a solid, all-around player for Middle Tennessee.
Coming out of Athens High School as an unranked prospect, Potts was not heavily recruited by any major programs. There was one coach that noticed however, and that was Blue Raider head coach Kermit Davis. Impressed by his physicality and style of play, the Blue Raiders became the only Division I program in the country to offer him a basketball scholarship.
As soon as he stepped foot on campus, Potts made a promise to himself and the program. He knew he had something to prove to all the naysayers.
“When I came on my visit, I told myself that fans are going to remember the name Giddy Potts by the time I graduate,” Potts said. “I wanted to leave my legacy here in Murfreesboro.”
Although Potts was overlooked in the early stages of his college career, plenty of teams and head coaches across the conference and country know his name now. Over the past two seasons, Potts has been regarded as the top guard for Middle Tennessee.
His tendency to heat up and take over contests with his scoring abilities has been electric. Potts recorded double digits in 20 contests with the Blue Raiders last season and led the team in three-point percentage over the past two seasons with 44.5 clip between his sophomore and junior year. In his sophomore year, he led the entire NCAA in three-point shooting at an outrageous 50.6 percent.
With that being said, Potts is in better shape than ever heading into his final season; the senior guard feels that this one has much more in store.
Not only should Potts be feared because of his intense physical preparation, but for the mental edge he will have against his opponents. After experiencing defeat while being held scoreless on 0-8 shooting against Butler in this past year’s NCAA tournament, the star guard knows it is his time to take command of the backcourt.
“It’s just a mental thing really,” Potts said. “Knowing I’m a senior, I have to step up and show the younger players how it has to be done.”
Friday, being his last season opener as a Blue Raider, will be emotional, and the senior leader is approaching it with a calm demeanor.
“Yes, it is going to be very emotional,” said Potts. “We are just going to get over it and follow coach’s scouting report, execute and go get the win.”
During last Thursday’s exhibition game against Arkansas Fort Smith, the guard showed fans a glimpse of why he was named Preseason All-Conference USA for the second straight year. It was not just his 25 points on 7-12 shooting that stood out during the contest. It was the way the senior guard set the tone for the younger players, which fueled the team to victory.
With the 2017-18 regular season set to tip off this Friday against Trevecca Nazarene University, look for a new style of play and identity for the Blue Raiders, led by Giddy Potts.
To contact Sports Editor Rusty Ellis (@RustyEllis13), email sports@mtsusidelines.com.
For more sports stories, follow us on Facebook at MTSU Sidelines and on Twitter and Periscope at @Sidelines_Sport.
