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Georgia freshman Jake Wilkins looking to add to the Wilkins' legacy

Jeremy Johnsonby: Jeremy Johnson10/15/25JeremyO_Johnson
Jake Wilkins
Jacob Wilkins (photo credit - Georgia mbb)

Georgia freshman forward Jake Wilkins is running toward the legacy his father, Dominique Wilkins, has left for him in Athens. Wilkins has ‘legacy’ tattooed on his right arm.

He had his share of college options.

Wilkins chose Georgia. Wilkins’ father let him decide and stayed hands off throughout his recruiting process. He fell in love with Georgia on his own. He’s leaning into whatever comes with being the son of Dominique Wilkins playing at Georgia.

“I’m not the type to go away from the pressure,” Wilkins told reporters on Monday. “I could have went somewhere else. I want to be able to show that I can take on whatever comes with it.”

Freshman soaking in the Wilkins legacy at Georgia

Wilkins has taken time and just stood by the shrines that honor his father’s career at Georgia around the practice facility.

The younger Wilkins admits he wants to soak up whatever he can from the presence the ‘Human Highlight Film’ left in Athens.

“I try to feel like the same energy when my dad was here,” Wilkins said. “I tried to just because of him here is something big to me, so it’s a great experience.”

Wilkins didn’t grow up coming to Georgia basketball games. He started coming to campus as a freshman in high school. That’s when he began to build his own connection with the program.

Wilkins has chosen the number 21 to wear at Georgia. He considers it a family number, and that means a lot in the Wilkins’ family.

“That’s a family number like everybody in my family wears it from my brother, from my dad and like my cousins, we all it’s just a big family.”

Family matters for Wilkins. It plays a big part in why he dove into the Wilkins’ basketball legacy at Georgia.

“It means everything,” Wilkins said. “It’s something that passed to me and to my kids’ kids.”

Jake Wilkins to be an impact freshman?

Wilkins has been an impressive presence in the early preseason practices for Georgia. He could be looking to have an early role as a freshman.

Wilkins played high-level AAU basketball and played in the highest classification of high school basketball in the state of Georgia.

Wilkins feels he’s adjusted to college basketball well.

“I’d say it’s been pretty good for me the speed of the game is faster, but I got used to it, so I wouldn’t say I really struggled,” Wilkins said. “But I’d say there are some challenges, of course, as a freshman, but I’d say I adjusted to it pretty well.”

Wilkins got his welcome to college basketball moment at the hands of Georgia center Somto Cyril.

“You know how people know me for like dunking the ball and stuff and I tried Somto and then I just saw a big wall man that’s different,” Wilkins said with a laugh. “I’m not used to that.”

Georgia will travel to Georgia State for a scrimmage tonight at 7 p.m.

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