« Men’s Basketball 2017-18

Yante Maten

School
University of Georgia
Position
Forward
Major
Fisheries & Wildlife

Classroom

Yante Maten, who was the Gatorade Player of the Year for Michigan as a senior in high school, chose the University of Georgia largely due to its offering of his major. Maten may be the only Fisheries & Wildlife major among Division I basketball players and is likely one of the few in any sport. His love for animals drives his academic pursuits, and he has worked diligently to complete a rigorous academic curriculum to pursue his major. He is hopeful of focusing on “big cats” as he moves further into his major.

Character

This quote from Head Coach Mark Fox sums up Maten’s character: “If he’s not the best young man on our campus, he is tied for first. He’s a terrific young man, and that’s a credit to his mom and his family. He’s meant a lot to our program. I can’t state enough just the example that he is. When your best player is your hardest worker and your best person, you have a chance to have a pretty good team, I think. And he is that for us.”

Community

A two-time member of the SEC’s Community Service team for men’s basketball, Maten is a team leader in community service. He spoke to local elementary and middle school students about the value of education and maintaining a positive attitude and work ethic. Among other projects, Maten visited Camp Twin Lakes, a summer facility for children whose lives have been affected by cancer, and helped shop for Christmas presents for deserving children.

Competition

Maten is listed on the watch list for every national player of the year honor. He was named 2017-18 SEC Preseason Player of the Year by multiple organizations, including balloting of league and national media members. He is a two-time All-SEC performer, earning honors in voting of league coaches and the AP in each of the past two seasons. He is currently the SEC’s active career leaders in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots. Maten is a picture of consistency on the court. Since the beginning of his sophomore year, Maten has scored in double figures in 58 of 65 games played, with 25 20-point and four 30-point outings.