By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Hagans commits to Kentucky
Newton star - Georgia's Mr. Basketball - pledges to Calipari
Hagans POY
Newton's 5-star junior PG Ashton Hagans has won almost every postseason player of the year accolade to be won, including the All-Covington News Player of the Year. - photo by Jason Mussell | The Covington News

COVINGTON, Ga. — Newton High basketball standout Ashton Hagans will play at the University of Kentucky.

Hagans confirmed his oral commitment via Twitter on Tuesday morning.

Hagans led the Rams to the 2018 Class AAAAAAA Final Four during his junior season. He became the first 11th-grader to be honored as Georgia’s Mr. Basketball since Sharif Abdur-Rahim in 1994.

The Covington News named Hagans as Newton County’s Player of the Year in boys basketball for 2018.

Hagans previously committed to Georgia but backed off his plans in the wake of uncertainty about coach Mark Fox’s job security. UGA fired Fox and hired Tom Crean last month, and Crean had visited Newton to try and keep Hagans in the fold.

Instead, Hagans will set out in the 2019-20 season at Lexington, Kentucky, with the Wildcats under John Calipari.

A young Kentucky team won the Southeastern Conference Tournament and reached the NCAA Sweet 16 this March.