Georgia’s 2027 class shaped up to have as much high-end depth as any I’ve covered in my time covering basketball in the state. 

That means that the race for Mr. Georgia Basketball has as many realistic candidates as there has been for the better part of a decade. 

Usually, it’s a foregone conclusion, or it’s a race between a small handful of players that gets settled midway through the season. 

More often than not, a senior wins the award. The last junior to win was Sharife Cooper in 2019 when he led McEachern to an undefeated season. 

Here are eight of the names to watch: 

AJ Williams - ELCA 

Williams was all but a shoo-in to win it when he was in the 2028 class. Now that he reclassified to 2027, he’s still the favorite to win, but the competition is more stiff. A five-star prospect in the top 10 of the class, Williams should put up video-game numbers in his final season of high school basketball. A plethora of talent has transferred in to provide him the supporting cast to potentially dominate 2A this season. 

Asa Montgomery - Hillgrove 

There aren’t many players who have seen a national climb like Montgomery. Last winter, he put up huge stats en route to leading Hillgrove to a final four appearance. It was one of the best seasons in the school’s history. After a summer that saw him vault to borderline five-star status, Montgomery is a top-15 player who has a chance to lead the Hawks to the apex of Georgia’s highest classification. 

Chase Lumpkin - McEachern

Like Montgomery, Lumpkin saw a national climb as well. He’s a machine on offense with the ability to light up the scoreboard. In preliminary conversations about the top teams in the state, McEachern is always mentioned within the group at the top. If Lumpkin can boast high scoring numbers on the way to a successful season, he’ll firmly be in the conversation with Montgomery and Williams at the top of the voting. 

Jarvis Hayes - Woodward Academy 

Hayes is a top-40 prospect in Georgia with a strong chance to lead a team to a state championship. That has been the recipe for winning this award in the past. He is going to be in a position to have flashy box scores on a team that should have plenty of success. 

Justin Wise - North Oconee

North Oconee’s rise to a name-brand program in the state is connected to Wise’s time there. He led them to back-to-back championships in his first two seasons, and he’ll look to lead them back there again as a senior to earn three rings in four seasons. His ability to hit shots and create offense for a winning team will have him in the running at the end of the season. 

Kevin Savage - Wheeler 

Wheeler is the bluest of blue bloods in the state right now, and Savage has been integral in their success since he was a freshman. The best pure point guard in Georgia right now, Savage will be in control of the game for a team whose expectations are always championship or bust. If Savage can navigate this young Wheeler team to another high-level season, he’ll be in the upper echelon of voting. 

MJ Curry - Grayson

Curry is projected to be one of the best players on one of the top four teams in 7A. 

His athleticism and transition dominance will earn him plenty of production and highlights. When we get to the later part of the season, Curry should be on the list of finalists because of his impact on the team’s success. 

Tre Keith - Tri-Cities 

Keith has been as consistently productive as anyone in the state for the last four years, and Tri-Cities has been one of the most consistent programs of the last several years as well. The Bulldogs perform at their best during the postseason. If they make another deep run, Keith will be the engine that drives them.