JONESBORO, Ark. (5/22/25) – Arkansas State men’s basketball head coach Ryan Pannone announced Thursday the addition of CJ Geathers to the 2025-26 roster.

Geathers joins the Red Wolves following a standout prep career at Chapel Hill High School in Georgia. The Lithia Springs, Ga., native scored over 1,000 career points and was an all-state performer this past season, helping the Panthers to a region runner-up finish and run to the Sweet 16 of the Class 6A state tournament.

“CJ is a 6-5 NBA athlete who can shoot the ball and has a chance to really develop into a great player for us,” Pannone said. “Who he is as a human being was really important to us. When we got a chance to sign him, getting to know him, getting to know his mother and father, what he’s about, who he wants to become as a person, and then seeing his physical gifts as a player was a no-brainer for us to have the opportunity to coach him. He’s got an incredible work ethic and demeanor. He is extremely coachable, is a ‘yes sir’ type kid who will try to do everything that’s asked and go as hard as he can while doing it. Typically, players who work really hard and also happen to be very talented basketball players with size and athleticism are going to become really good players, and that’s what we expect out of CJ. We think his upside and future is really bright and we’re really excited to have him a part of our program and to be able to bring him into our community.”

In addition to being named All-State by the GACA/GBCA, as well as honorable mention all-state by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, he was selected to the All-Metro Team by the Atlanta Tipoff Club. Geathers was also tabbed the AAAAAA Region 2 Player of the Year and received a bid to the GBCA Senior All-Star Game. As a junior, Geathers earned honorable mention Class 5A Region 5 honors.

Playing for Anthony Edwards Five on the adidas Circuit, he earned All-Breakout Team honors last July for his performance at the Palmetto Road Championship.

He is now the 11^th signing for Pannone’s first season leading the Red Wolves, joining Jalen Hampton (Missouri State transfer), Chandler Jackson (Florida State), Matt Hayman (Stephen F. Austin), TJ Caldwell (Ole Miss), Chudi Dioramma (Sacramento State), Christian Harmon (Gulf Coast State College), Jaxon Ellingsworth (UT Arlington), Royal Smith (Gillion Academy), Aly Tounkara (Lindenwood) and Fredy-Salam Sylla (Eastern Florida State College).

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