Marcus Millender Signs With UGA Basketball
ATHENS, Ga. — Marcus “Smurf” Millender, who ranked among American Athletic Conference (AAC) leaders in eight statistics at UT San Antonio during the 2024-25 campaign, has signed to join the Georgia Bulldogs next season, head coach coach Mike White announced on Wednesday.
Millender, a 5-11 guard from Houston who played at South Alabama as a freshman, has compiled 770 points, 209 assists and 80 steals in his first two seasons of college basketball. He did so while shooting 43.8 percent from 3-point range and 82.3 percent from the free throw line. Millender started 43 of 63 games at USA and UTSA, recording 39 double-figure scoring outputs and 11 20-point performances.
Millender started 28 of 31 games played at UTSA last season and was ranked among AAC statistical leaders in eight categories, the second most of any player in the league. He led the conference in 3-point percentage at .438 and also ranked No. 10 in scoring (14.9 ppg), No. 3 in free throw percentage (.872), No. 4 in assist-to-TO ratio (2.00), No. 5 in playing time (34.5 mpg), No. 6 in 3-pointers (2.3 3FGpg), No. 6 in steals (1.7 spg) and No. 15 in assists (3.3 apg).
At South Alabama, Millender started 15 of 32 contests and averaged 9.7 points, 2.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 27.9 minutes of action per game. He poured in a season-high 27 points and flirted with a triple-double against Nicholls when he notched 23 points, 10 assists and nine boards.
Millender was a standout at Clear Brook High School, averaging 12.9 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.5 assists in 76 varsity outings over three seasons. He finished his career with 979 points, including 69 double-digit outings and 17 20-point tallies. Millender was named first-team All-District in 2021-22 and helped the Wolverines compile a combined 76-22 record from 2019-22.
Georgia’s Bulldogs are coming off their best season in a decade during last winter, which culminated with the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2015. Georgia finished 20-13, including victories over teams ranked No. 1 (Florida), No. 11 (St. John’s) and No. 12 (Kentucky) in the final AP poll. The Bulldogs played one of the nation’s most challenging schedules, with 20 of 33 games – 60.6 percent – against other NCAA Tournament teams.
The Bulldogs will return seven players from last season’s roster – starters Blue Cain and Dylan James as well as Justin Abson, Somto Cyril, Jaden Newell, Brandon Klatsky and Markel Jennings.
Millender is the seventh newcomer set to join the Bulldogs in the fall, including three high school prospects and four portal signees.
Previously, White announced transfer portal signees:
• Jeremiah Wilkinson, the 2025 ACC Sixth Man of the Year at Cal.
• Justin Bailey, who helped lead Wofford to the NCAA Tournament in 2025.
• Kanon Catching, who helped BYU reach the “Sweet 16” of the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
In the fall, the Bulldogs signed a trio high school prospects ranked as the No. 18 class in the nation by 247Sports.com, as well as No. 20 by ESPN.com. The trio featured:
• Jackson McVey, a 7-1 center from Ellijay, Ga., who played at Overtime Elite as a senior and is ranked No. 194 in the On3Sports.com industry comparison.
• Kareem Stagg, a 6-8 power forward from Chesapeake, Va., who played for IMG Academy as a junior and senior and is ranked as high as No. 68 nationally by 247Sports.com.
• Jacob Wilkins, a 6-9 small forward from Loganville, Ga., and Grayson High School ranked as high as the No. 35 prospecting the Class of 2025 by Rivals.com, who is the son of Georgia legend and Naismith Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins.