Georgia’s claim as the only state to produce a top-10 NBA draft pick each year this decade is likely safe.
Caleb Wilson, the former AJC all-class player of the year from Holy Innocents’, is a projected to go among the top five at Wednesday’s draft in Brooklyn. He is most often pegged as the No. 4 overall pick to the Chicago Bulls.
The streak of former Georgia high school players taken among the first five began in 2020, when former UGA and Holy Spirit Prep star Anthony Edwards went No. 1 overall to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Former McEachern player Isaac Okoro went No. 5 that year to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Since then, there has been one Georgia player taken in the top 10 each year.
They are Liberty County’s Davion Mitchell (No. 9 to Sacramento) in 2021, Sandy Creek’s Jabari Smith (No. 3 to Houston) in 2022, Kell’s Scoot Henderson (No. 3 to Portland) in 2023, Newton’s Stephon Castle (No. 4 to San Antonio) in 2024 and McEachern’s Ace Bailey (No. 5 to Utah) in 2025.
The AJC researched and reported last year that Georgia is the only state with a top-10 draft picks each year since 2020.
Wilson was a consensus second-team All-American this past season as a North Carolina freshman. He averaged 19.8 points and 9.4 rebounds.
As a high school senior in 2025, Wilson led Holy Innocents’ to its first state championship, averaging 21.6 points, 11.1 rebounds, five assists and 3.5 blocks while playing just 25 minutes per game for a dominant team.
The next-highest NBA prospect from Georgia this year is probably Bruce Thornton, a former Milton guard who just finished his senior season at Ohio State. He’s generally projected to go in the second round.
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