Virginia finishes runner-up to Georgia for Dominque’s kid

By Jerry Ratcliffe

Jacob Wilkins is going to Georgia. Wilkins, the 6-foot-8, 4-star son of NBA Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins, followed in his father’s footsteps on Tuesday when he committed to Georgia, choosing the Bulldogs over Virginia.

Wilkins previously had eliminated Alabama, Indiana and Cincinnati.

It was another recruiting heartbreaker for the Cavaliers, who recently lost out on Wisconsin sharpshooter Kon Knueppel to Duke.

Wilkins, a top 25 target in the recruiting class of 2025, revealed his choice, unzipping a hoodie with a Georgia T-shirt underneath.

“I feel at home,” said Wilkins, who lives outside Atlanta, less than two hours from Athens. His father, a nine-time NBA All-Star, also played at Georgia. “I trust everyone there and I want to make a statement at home,” Jacob Wilkins said.  “I know I come in here with a last name but I want to make my own name.”

It was a recruiting coup for Mike White at Georgia, who last week landed 2024 five-star Asa Newell, a top-10 prospect. Newell is an Athens native. Georgia is also in the running for two other top-25 prospects, Khani Rooths and Derrion Reid.