Georgia, Mike White land 5-star forward Asa Newell - ESPN

Five-star forward Asa Newell committed to Georgia on Wednesday, becoming Mike White's highest-ranked recruit since taking over the Bulldogs' men's basketball team.

Newell becomes just the second five-star prospect to commit to Georgia since the ESPN recruiting database began in 2007.

«I believe in Coach White and what he is doing with the program,» Newell told ESPN. «I am confident in him, and he is with me that we can turn this program around. He holds his players accountable but is positive about it.»

Newell chose Georgia over a final four that also included Gonzaga, Alabama and Texas. The Bulldogs were considered the favorite for much of his recruitment; Newell grew up in Athens, Georgia, and his younger brother, Jaden, is a walk-on for the Georgia men's basketball team.

«My brother is on the team and has been very positive about how the program is daily,» Asa Newell said. «I have seen how his body and game have changed. I was born in Atlanta but lived in Athens, Georgia, for 10 years. It's home for me. Yes, they have won back-to-back national championships in football. That's great. They are also hungry for Georgia basketball to be great. I want to build a legacy at Georgia.»

A 6-foot-9 power forward who attends Montverde Academy (Florida), Newell is the No. 2 player at his position nationally and ranks No. 11 overall in the ESPN 100 for the 2024 class. He has represented USA Basketball on two separate occasions, suiting up for the U17 national team at the 2022 World Championships and for the U19 team at the 2023 World Championships. He started his senior season in impressive fashion at the Border League in Las Vegas earlier this month, averaging 12.7 points and 10.0 rebounds in three games.

Newell is a long,