Georgia basketball got its 2027 class moving on Friday, and it started with a local name that should sound familiar to Bulldog fans. Four-star guard Justin Wise, a Bogart, GA., native, committed to Mike White’s program and became the first pledge in Georgia’s next recruiting class.
Wise picked the Bulldogs over Texas, Tennessee, Vanderbilt and others, giving Georgia a major early win on the trail. He enters the class ranked No. 30 overall nationally, and his decision comes as the program tries to build on back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances and the largest donation in school history, both signs that the ground around Athens is shifting.
The pull of home clearly mattered here. Wise had plenty of heavyweight options, including Tennessee, UCLA, Auburn and Texas, but Georgia was the school he chose.
For a program that has had its share of top prospects look its way without landing, getting a player of Wise’s caliber from right in the backyard feels like more than just one commitment. It could be the first real marker of a different recruiting stretch.
And Georgia is not done chasing. The Bulldogs are still in the mix for five-star AJ Williams and four-star Jarvis Hayes Jr., two more Peach State talents who could turn this into something special.
Williams is the big swing. He’s now the No. 5 overall recruit after reclassifying this week from the 2028 class into 2027, and Georgia is among his top five schools. For a program still trying to stack this kind of talent consistently, landing him would be a massive statement.
Hayes looks like the more realistic target, but he’s no small fish either. He checks in at No. 24 nationally and brings a built-in connection to Georgia, since his father is on White’s staff and also won SEC Player of the Year at Georgia in 2003.
If White can finish with Wise, Williams and Hayes, Georgia would be looking at three top-30 recruits and one of the strongest classes in program history. That kind of haul would change the conversation fast.
In Other News...
Georgia QB Commit Faces A New Test After Another Major Reset
Georgias quarterback future includes another twist for Colton Nussmeier, who has already had to navigate a major reset in his high school career. The four-star prospect and Bulldogs commit is now at Archbishop Rummel in Louisiana after his time at Denton Ryan High School in Texas hit an eligibility roadblock, leaving one of the top quarterback names in the Class of 2027 looking for a fresh start.
Nussmeier, the younger brother of former LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, has long been viewed as one of the more intriguing arms in the cycle, but his path has become as notable for movement as for production. The expectation now is that this latest transfer will put the paperwork and eligibility issues behind him, setting him up to get back on the field and settle into a more stable situation for the coming season. [Read more 🡒]
Dwight Phillips Is Suddenly In The Middle Of Georgias Biggest Need
Dwight Phillips has spent his first two seasons at Georgia as the fast, intriguing back who never quite forced his way into a bigger offensive role. Now, with some of the depth around him thinned out, the third-year runner suddenly finds himself in a far more important spot than anyone expected a few months ago. He has always had the speed to change a game, and this offseason he has also put on more bulk as he tries to turn that trait into something Georgia can rely on more often.
Kirby Smart has already singled out Phillips for the work he has shown in practice, which matters even more now with the Bulldogs looking for answers in the backfield. Phillips still has to translate that promise into real production, but the path is clearer than it was before. For Georgia, a player long viewed as a luxury piece now looks like part of a much bigger solution. [Read more 🡒]
Kirby Smart Just Turned Up The Heat On Mike Bobo
The first fall camp practice brought the usual buildup and energy, but Kirby Smart used the moment to put Georgias ground game back at the center of the conversation. He stressed that the Bulldogs have to get better running the ball, and he made it clear he wants offensive coordinator Mike Bobo leaning more heavily into that part of the offense. Smart tied the issue to something bigger than a single camp session, pointing to the way championship teams usually control games on the ground.
For Georgia, the message matters because last seasons struggles running the ball were part of the backdrop to the teams playoff finish, and fans have already had plenty to say about Bobos play calling. Even so, Smart has stood behind his coordinator, extending Bobos contract through 2028 and signaling that the answer is refinement, not change. The question now is whether the Bulldogs can turn that backing into a more physical offense once the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]