Ellijay’s Jackson McVey made his college basketball destination known, and he will stay close to home at the University of Georgia.
With friends, family and teammates in attendance at Atlanta’s Overtime Elite (OTE) Arena last Tuesday afternoon, McVey unzipped his hoodie to reveal UGA’s signature logo.
“That’s something you kind of dream about as a kid ... being able to commit on a stage like that. I was blessed to do it and glad I had the opportunity to do it there,” McVey said.
He made his verbal commitment to Georgia over Georgia Tech, Florida, Florida State and Stanford. McVey is listed as a four-star prospect by ESPN and ranked as the No. 8 player in Georgia and 40th in the southeast. ESPN has McVey slotted as the No. 25 center in the nation.
UGA “checked all the boxes” for McVey, and he discussed his decision to play college basketball in Athens.
“When it got down to the nitty-gritty, it came down to Florida, FSU and UGA,” McVey said. “UGA showed me they were the one who wanted me the most. They don’t have any players like me or any 7-footers yet. I’ll be able to make an impact in my own way.
“(Coach) Mike White is implementing a new style with the arrival of two freshman bigs coming in. I’m excited to play in that, and I like what I’ve seen at practice. I believe it’s a system I can thrive in.”
McVey added, “Being able to play in Georgia, close to home, in front of people I love, and being able to rep my home state ... things like that made it an easier decision. It was hard to turn any of these places down because they’re all such great opportunities.”
As a major college prospect, McVey had plenty of people in his ear trying to sway his decision. He noted he is happy to be finished with the recruiting process.
“This was one of the most stressful and trying experiences of my life,” he said. “It’s a decision for my future, and I want to be as successful as I can in every aspect of my life. There were a lot of different voices I had to tune in and tune out. To have it over feels like a monkey off my back. I’m at ease and at peace with my decision. I’m happy to move on and focus on the future.”
McVey’s immediate future is with OTE’s RWE, also known as Real Wild Energy. He began sharpening his skills in Atlanta over the summer when he transferred from Gilmer High School to OTE. McVey was selected by RWE in the league’s September draft and is one of 10 players on the roster.
“I got to know all the players before the draft. After the draft, now that we’re in a routine, I have really enjoyed it,” McVey said. “I’ve gotten to know my teammates, learn the offense and defense and all that stuff.”
McVey’s senior prep season is set to begin today versus the YNG Dreamerz.The game will be streamed live on Youtube.com with tipoff set for 7 p.m.
“I’m excited for this new chapter and getting to play against new people and new competition,” McVey said. “I’m excited to see how well I do and how I progress throughout the year. I think it will be a good challenge, and I’m ready for it.
“It’s going to be hard without my guys. It already feels kind of weird not being with the group from GHS. But I’m getting used to it and really looking forward to the opportunity. I think it will be a good stepping stone to get ready for next year at UGA.”