Georgia Legacy Jarvis Hayes Jr. Speaks on the Bulldogs, The Revival of UGA Hoops

Originally posted on Georgia Bulldogs on SI
By Arvon Bacon | Last updated May 21, 2025 11:15 AM ET

For a long time Georgia's basketball scene has gone over looked, but thats a thing of past. In the recent NBA draft there's has been a Georgia native to be selected out of the upper lottery picks of the draft: Stephon Castle, Jabari Smith, Anthony Edwards, Wendell Carter and Collin Sexton to name a few.

A new breed following the similar path of Anthony Edwards and Stephon Castle is here. His name Jarvis Hayes Jr.

Atlanta (GA) native, standing 6'5" with a slender frame, Hayes Jr, who plays for the same AAU team as Edwards and Castle, Alata Express, is a dynamic scorer. This past weekend, he scored 23 points in a narrow victory over NJ (New Jersey) Shoreshots in front of Georgia's Head Coach Mike Whtie and assistants.

Coach White and staff extended Jarvis an offer 10 Sept 2024 to become his sixth out his seven offers. He had this to say about the programs uptrend in recent years.

"I love how UGA is a very competitive school. I remember when UGA weren’t making the NCAA tournament but now thats the expectation for UGA," said Hayes Jr.

UGA HC Mike White and assistants from Michigan, Cincinnati, and Vanderbilt were in to see 2027 W Jarvis Hayes Jr. this morning.

23 points in a tight win over NJ Shoreshots.@JarvisHayesjr https://t.co/sBjdG2U3zd pic.twitter.com/mjafR4ObFA
— Trent Markwith (@TMarkwith14) May 18, 2025

Jarvis is known for his scoring prowess, but he wants everyone to know that he's a very capable defender. In addition to being a force on defense, he also wants coaches and others to be aware that he is a good teammate. Here's what he had to say about the matter.

"I know that people know that I can score. I dont just want to be known as a scorer. I want people to know I talk on defense, I am a good teammate and play hard. I want to let people know that I am a lockdown defender."

Standing at 6-foot-5, Hayes unquestionably possesses the size of a prototypical defensive stopper. His commitment to communicating on defense and his relentless effort make him a key asset on the court. According to Under Armour Basketball, Hayes is currently leading the Express in steals, tallying 11 this season.

Adding a consistent defensive pressure, Hayes Jr is easily one of the best two-way players in the 2027 class. When I asked the rising junior how he described his style of play, he relayed this to me.

"I would say my game is a shot creator. I create for myself and for others. A tall long combo guard," said Hayes Jr.

This article first appeared on Georgia Bulldogs on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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