Georgia will be well represented in upcoming basketball all-star events this spring.
McEachern forward Ace Bailey, Pace Academy boys coach Sharman White and Westlake girls coach Hilda Hankerson have been chosen to participate in the USA Nike Hoop Summit games for the nation’s top 19-and-under players April 13 in Portland, while Bailey will first join White at the McDonald’s All-Star games April 2 at the Toyota Center in Houston.
White, named the head coach of the U.S. men’s team at the Nike Hoop Summit, also was head coach of last year’s national team that won the FIBA Men’s U16 Americas Championship. He has won nine Georgia state titles, six with Miller Grove and three with Pace. He won his 500th game on Nov. 24, 2023.
Bailey, a five-star recruit who has signed with Rutgers, will be the lone Georgia high school player at this year’s McDonald’s All-Star games, but White was named the head coach of the East boys team and he chose John Robinson, one of his Pace assistants, and Tucker boys coach James Hartry to act as assistant coaches in the game.
Hankerson, who will be an assistant for the U.S. women’s team at the Nike event, has led Westlake to four state titles in her 27 seasons with the south Fulton County school. The Nike Summit began in 1995. Each U.S. team will play an international all-star opponent.
Bailey was a lock to make all-star teams as a player this season. He is averaging 29.5 points, 16.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists and three blocked shots for a nationally ranked team. He moved up to the consensus No. 2 senior recruit Monday in the 247Sports Composite.
