Georgia Basketball's Jaxon Etter earns spot on scholarship

ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia Basketball’s junior guard Jaxon Etter was put on scholarship recently according to head coach Mike White. On Thursday before Etter and the Bulldogs take on Bucknell, both he and White shared on the special moment.

“It was about a — so, it wasn’t last week. It was the week before. It was just like a normal day. We had practice and then coach said something along the lines of, ‘Hey, we’re going to meet in the film room.’ And this was, like, right before our first game, so I was thinking nothing really of it. Let’s just have a team goals type of meeting,” Etter recalled. “He started off saying, ‘Let’s start with the returners, and what’s your goal coming into this year?’ We each said our own thing, and then I gave, you know, something about the fact that playing for Georgia was my dream.’ He said, ‘Alright, let’s do it. You’re on scholarship.'”

“Obviously, being on scholarship is super relieving for me and my family and just an honor, but the way my teammates just mobbed me afterwards, it was one of the coolest experiences I’ve ever had,” he continued. “I’ve dreamt about that happening for the last 2-3 years. The way it happened, I can’t fathom it any other way.”

Etter joined the Georgia program back in 2019 playing in nine games as a walk-on. Then, during the 2020-21 COVID-season, his contributions increased greatly as he played in 20 games. Etter earned his way into the starting lineup last season, being one of the first five out in 22 of 31 games played. So far this season he’s played in all three games.

Of course, like with any walk-on turned scholarship player, it wasn’t without some hardship. After averaging 5.1 points and 2.9 rebounds in 25.4 minutes per game last season, Etter decided to enter the transfer portal during the offseason. It was thanks to NIL opportunities, as well as White and the new coaching staff, that the Woodstock, Ga. native was able to come back even without a scholarship secured.

“[I’m thankful] to the NIL world. That’s the reason that I was able to come back in the first place. So, just a huge shoutout to people that gave me the opportunity to come back in the first place. I couldn’t have done it without them, and if it weren’t for them I’d be somewhere else,” Etter said. “And if it weren’t for Coach White and his staff, I would also be somewhere else. So, you know, just thanks to everybody that could make this whole thing possible. I’m super blessed.”

Some may see a story like this and think that it’s due to luck, but in the case of Etter, White made sure to make it known that he’s earned it. When asked at SEC Basketball Media Days in October whether Etter was on scholarship at the time, White said no. That of course changed ahead of the season-opener, as Etter explained, because of the work he put in during preseason practice.

“Jaxon has earned a scholarship … He’s a scholarship player in the SEC because he’s earned it. He’s a good player,” White said. “I love him. I love all of our guys, but Jaxon is as accountable a player as I’ve ever coached. If you asked him to try to run through the wall, he would try to run through the wall for Georgia basketball and for his teammates. He’s awesome. His teammates love him. I’ll always go back and watch that video when he was awarded a scholarship — and maybe one day he puts it out. But that’s on him. He was thrilled obviously. His teammates were even happier for him, which made our staff ecstatic because everyone in the room knows the value that he brings to our program in so many different ways.”

“It’s an honor to coach him,” White continued. “I know exactly what he’s going to do out there this afternoon: he’s going to block out, he’s going to close out, he’s going to talk, he cares, he’s going to cut hard. He’s going to be successful. He’s a big part of what we’re doing. After a couple months of practice, it was an absolute no-brainer that he’s earned a scholarship.”

Georgia takes on Bucknell this Friday at Stegeman Coliseum. It’s the Bulldogs’ on-campus regional round game as a part of the Greenlight Sunshine Slam tournament down in Daytona Beach, Fla. Georgia opens championship play for the tournament on Monday as it takes on Saint Joseph’s in the opening round. Georgia will then play on Tuesday against the same-result team from the UAB/USF matchup, also on Monday night. Tipoff time for Friday’s night’s game between the Bulldogs and Bison is set for 7:00 p.m. ET on the SEC Network.