Who says you can't go home? When it comes to the Georgia Bulldogs, not enough homegrown players end up committing to, and staying with, the basketball team for as long as they should. Basketball may be the third most popular high school sport behind football and baseball in the state, but Georgia is dripping with in-state basketball talent. Mike White knows this, and is looking into it...
Anthony Dasher of UGASports.com dropped this bombshell of White looking to add Jarvis Hayes.
Some Georgia basketball news: Hearing that head coach Mike White is looking to add former Bulldog great Jarvis Hayes to his basketball staff. Hayes spent the past seven years at Georgia State and was a former first-round NBA pick who played eight years in the league before… pic.twitter.com/6hAGIm1LCP
— Anthony Dasher (@AnthonyDasher1) April 2, 2026
Hayes is a Georgia basketball legend. The Atlanta native starred for the Dawgs from 2001 to 2003 before becoming a first-round pick by the Washington Wizards. He spent eight seasons in the NBA before finishing up his career overseas. Over the last several years, he has served under his twin brother Jonas Hayes on the Georgia State Panthers' bench. Jonas Hayes was recently let go by GSU.
So if Jarvis Hayes is available to become part of White's staff, the latter needs to jump at the chance.
Mike White targeting Georgia legend Jarvis Hayes for a role on his staff
This would be significant for a few reasons. While White has elevated the floor of this Georgia program, he is at a bit of an inflection point during his UGA tenure. White has been able to lead the Dawgs to back-to-back NCAA Tournaments, as well as three straight years of 20-plus wins. The last time the Bulldogs were this consistently good on the hardwood, the Hayes Brothers starred at UGA.
Even though none of the players coming to Athens were alive when Hayes was doing work out on the wing for Georgia, his name and his brother's still carry clout among many legions of Dawg Nation. Having a program legend recruiting you to his school is special. Domonique Wilkins' son may play for his alma mater, but there must be more than just the Human Highlight Film serving as an ambassador.
Overall, White hiring Hayes is not going to solve all of Georgia's problems. Some of which White has created himself. If Hayes can help get the best players in-state to stay home while rival Georgia Tech remains in flux, that could be so beneficial to the Dawgs. It may not have worked out for him and his brother at Georgia State, but we know what school they are most closely attached to in-state is at.
For now, it seems like it is only a matter of time before Hayes ends up coming aboard White's staff.