Budgets have moved to the center of the college sports conversation ever since athletes were cleared to be paid. Some programs spend more than others, but every dollar matters — and a lot of that money comes from alumni willing to put their own resources behind their old school.
Georgia men’s basketball just had one of those alumni step up in a big way.
Per Georgiadogs.com, Adam Wexler — a 2007 UGA graduate, founder of PrizePicks and CEO of The Hidden Jams — has made the largest philanthropic commitment in the history of the UGA Athletic Association, all of it directed at Bulldog men’s basketball.
The gift is $10 million. According to the report, it’ll go toward personnel and operating expenses within the program, with a portion earmarked for the Athletic Director Excellence Fund.
“The University of Georgia has always meant a tremendous amount to me and my family,” Wexler said. “Watching my father’s lifelong connection to this university shaped my appreciation for what Georgia represents: opportunity, culture, and excellence. There has never been a more interesting time in the history of collegiate athletics for donors to make a difference, and I’d love for this to be the start of something much bigger for the Bulldog community.”
The timing tracks with where the program is headed. Mike White was brought in to raise Georgia’s ceiling, and he’s delivered — the Bulldogs made the NCAA Tournament for a second straight season last year and set a program record for regular-season wins.
“From the day we arrived in Athens, the focus of our program has been growth,” White said. “Our ultimate goal is to grow Georgia Basketball into a program that regularly competes at the highest levels. Georgia Basketball is very important to Adam Wexler, and his incredibly generous gift will assist us greatly in our pursuit to reach that standard.”
White and his staff have been busy piecing together the roster for the coming season. Georgia held onto some key pieces in Blue Cain, Kareem Stagg, Kanon Catchings and Marcus “Smurf” Millender, though the bulk of the rotation moved on through the transfer portal. A gift this size gives the staff real resources to reload — and, if Wexler gets his wish, it’s only the beginning.
