University of Georgia Athletics
Kemauri Millender Inks With Georgia
April 17, 2026 | Men's Basketball
Smurf's brother to play with Bulldogs
ATHENS, Ga. — Kemauri Millender, who helped New Mexico Junior College reach the Round of 16 in the 2026 NJCAA DI Men's Basketball Championship, has signed to continue this college career with the Georgia Bulldogs, head coach Mike White announced on Friday.
Millender, the older brother of current Bulldog Marcus "Smurf" Millender, is a 6-0, 180-pound rising junior guard who started all 34 games for New Mexico Junior College and contributed 9.5 points, 1.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.3 steals per game. Millender posted 16 double-figure scoring outputs for the Thunderbirds, including a season-high 22 points against Frank Phillips College. NMJC lost to Howard College, the eventual national champions, in the semifinals of the Region V Tournament. The Thunderbirds opened the NJCAA Tournament by defeating Barton Community College before falling to No. 2 seeded College of Southern Idaho in the Round of 16 to finish the season at 22-7.
Millender played his freshman season at Hill College in Hill College in Hillsboro, Texas, where he was named first-team All-NTJCAC (North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference). He started 24 of 26 games played and posted 22 double-figure scoring tallies, including eight 20-point performances. He led the Rebels and finished fourth among Region V scoring leaders at 16.1 points per game and also chipped in 3.3 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 1.6 steals per contest.
The Millender brothers played together at Clear Brook High School for three seasons, helping the Wolverines to a combined 76-22 record from 2019-22. Kemo scored 1643 points (19.1 ppg), grabbed 168 rebounds (4.9 rpg), delivered 168 assists (2.0 apg) and collected 147 steals (1.7 spg) over his Clear Brook career. Both Kemo and Smurf were named first-team all-district in 2022 when the Wolverines finished 28-8.
With Millender, Georgia's 2026-27 roster now features nine players.
The Bulldogs will welcome back six returnees, including 80 percent of its starting lineup in:
• Blue Cain, a 6-5, 195-pound rising senior guard from Knoxville, Tenn., who became Georgia's 49th 1,000-point scorer – but first since 2017 – in the regular-season finale and is currently the Bulldogs' career record holder for best free throw percentage (.846).
• Kanon Catchings, a 6-9, 220-pound rising junior forward from Brownsburg, Ind., who was the Bulldogs' second-leading scorer in SEC play at 13.7 points per game and was named SEC Player of the Week on March 9 after averaging 27.5 points in key late-season wins over No. 16 Alabama and Mississippi State to lock up an NCAA Tournament bid.
• Marcus "Smurf" Millender, a 5-11, 175-pound rising senior guard from Houston Texas, who led the Bulldogs in assists and became the ninth player in school history with 100 assists and 50 3-pointers in the same season.
• Kareem Stagg, a 6-8, 230-pound rising sophomore forward from Chesapeake, Va., who emerged as a starter and key contributor during Georgia's late-season surge to earn an NCAA bid by averaging 6.9 points per game over the final 10 contests of the season.
In addition, Georgia has signed three newcomers. In addition to Millender, the Bulldogs will welcome:
• Freddie Dilione V, a 6-5, 195-pound senior guard from Fayetteville, N.C., who was Penn State's leading scorer both overall and in Big Ten play last season while averaging 14.0 ppg in 32 outings and 14.1 ppg in league action.
• David Ugonna Ike, a 7-0, 235-pound freshman post player from Owerri, Nigeria, who prepped at the NBA Academy Africa in Senegal. Earlier this year, Ike averaged 24.3 points and 12.3 rebounds while helping NBA Academy Africa compile a 3-0 record at the Advance Global Cup.
Georgia won a school-record 22 regular-season games during the 2025-26 season. The Bulldogs also broke school scoring records for both total points (2,951) and scoring average (89.4 ppg). Georgia notched its third straight 20-win campaign and earned a second consecutive NCAA Tournament bid. In addition, the Bulldogs finished ranked among the NCAA's top-5 teams in four stats, leading the nation in both fastbreak points (19.8 ppg) and ranking No. 3 in blocked shots (6.0 bpg), No. 5 in scoring offense (89.4 ppg) and No. 5 in bench points (34.7 ppg).
Millender, the older brother of current Bulldog Marcus "Smurf" Millender, is a 6-0, 180-pound rising junior guard who started all 34 games for New Mexico Junior College and contributed 9.5 points, 1.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.3 steals per game. Millender posted 16 double-figure scoring outputs for the Thunderbirds, including a season-high 22 points against Frank Phillips College. NMJC lost to Howard College, the eventual national champions, in the semifinals of the Region V Tournament. The Thunderbirds opened the NJCAA Tournament by defeating Barton Community College before falling to No. 2 seeded College of Southern Idaho in the Round of 16 to finish the season at 22-7.
Millender played his freshman season at Hill College in Hill College in Hillsboro, Texas, where he was named first-team All-NTJCAC (North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference). He started 24 of 26 games played and posted 22 double-figure scoring tallies, including eight 20-point performances. He led the Rebels and finished fourth among Region V scoring leaders at 16.1 points per game and also chipped in 3.3 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 1.6 steals per contest.
The Millender brothers played together at Clear Brook High School for three seasons, helping the Wolverines to a combined 76-22 record from 2019-22. Kemo scored 1643 points (19.1 ppg), grabbed 168 rebounds (4.9 rpg), delivered 168 assists (2.0 apg) and collected 147 steals (1.7 spg) over his Clear Brook career. Both Kemo and Smurf were named first-team all-district in 2022 when the Wolverines finished 28-8.
With Millender, Georgia's 2026-27 roster now features nine players.
The Bulldogs will welcome back six returnees, including 80 percent of its starting lineup in:
• Blue Cain, a 6-5, 195-pound rising senior guard from Knoxville, Tenn., who became Georgia's 49th 1,000-point scorer – but first since 2017 – in the regular-season finale and is currently the Bulldogs' career record holder for best free throw percentage (.846).
• Kanon Catchings, a 6-9, 220-pound rising junior forward from Brownsburg, Ind., who was the Bulldogs' second-leading scorer in SEC play at 13.7 points per game and was named SEC Player of the Week on March 9 after averaging 27.5 points in key late-season wins over No. 16 Alabama and Mississippi State to lock up an NCAA Tournament bid.
• Marcus "Smurf" Millender, a 5-11, 175-pound rising senior guard from Houston Texas, who led the Bulldogs in assists and became the ninth player in school history with 100 assists and 50 3-pointers in the same season.
• Kareem Stagg, a 6-8, 230-pound rising sophomore forward from Chesapeake, Va., who emerged as a starter and key contributor during Georgia's late-season surge to earn an NCAA bid by averaging 6.9 points per game over the final 10 contests of the season.
In addition, Georgia has signed three newcomers. In addition to Millender, the Bulldogs will welcome:
• Freddie Dilione V, a 6-5, 195-pound senior guard from Fayetteville, N.C., who was Penn State's leading scorer both overall and in Big Ten play last season while averaging 14.0 ppg in 32 outings and 14.1 ppg in league action.
• David Ugonna Ike, a 7-0, 235-pound freshman post player from Owerri, Nigeria, who prepped at the NBA Academy Africa in Senegal. Earlier this year, Ike averaged 24.3 points and 12.3 rebounds while helping NBA Academy Africa compile a 3-0 record at the Advance Global Cup.
Georgia won a school-record 22 regular-season games during the 2025-26 season. The Bulldogs also broke school scoring records for both total points (2,951) and scoring average (89.4 ppg). Georgia notched its third straight 20-win campaign and earned a second consecutive NCAA Tournament bid. In addition, the Bulldogs finished ranked among the NCAA's top-5 teams in four stats, leading the nation in both fastbreak points (19.8 ppg) and ranking No. 3 in blocked shots (6.0 bpg), No. 5 in scoring offense (89.4 ppg) and No. 5 in bench points (34.7 ppg).
Players Mentioned
Georgia Men's Basketball Catchings and Millender - NCAAs Pregame Presser vs St. Louis
Wednesday, March 18
Georgia Men's Basketball: Coach White - NCAAs Pregame Presser vs St. Louis
Wednesday, March 18
Georgia Men's Basketball -Millender, Cain, and Coach White Pre NCAA Tournament
Sunday, March 15
Georgia Men's Basketball - SEC Tournament Post Game Press Conference vs Ole Miss
Friday, March 13