Lady Dawgs add Top-60 guard Asia Avinger

May 7—ATHENS, Ga. — Asia Avinger (pronounced AV-in-JER), a 2023 All-Mountain West Conference performer at San Diego State, will transfer to the University of Georgia women's basketball team, head coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson announced Sunday.

In two seasons at SDSU, Avinger established herself as one of the top players in the Mountain West. She was an All-Freshman Team member in 2022, before landing on the All-Conference squad this past year.

The 5-foot-7 guard will have two years of eligibility remaining at Georgia.

Avinger finished last season ranked third among all Mountain West players in assists (4.2 per game) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.7). She was also third in steals (2.0 per game) and finished among the top-15 individuals in scoring with 11.6 ppg. The Cerritos, California, native totaled 19 games in double figures, including a pair of 25-point efforts.

In addition to All-Conference honors, Avinger was a three-time selection to the MW All-Academic Team, was twice named the MW Freshman of the Week and was the Preseason MW Freshman of the Year.

She went to San Diego State as a four-star prospect and the No. 56 overall player in the 2020 class according to ESPN. The same recruiting service tabbed her as the No. 16 overall point guard.

As a prep star at Rosary High School, Avinger was named the Orange County Register's Female Athlete of the Year and was a MaxPreps All-California First Team selection. She averaged 13.8 ppg, 6.3 rpg and 4.0 assists as a high school senior.

Avinger also worked at Kobe Bryant's prestigious Mamba Academy as a coaching assistant. Her father played football at Portland State and her two brothers — older brother Lucky and twin Noah — are members of the Aztec football team.

She is the fourth signee of Georgia's 2023 class, joining incoming freshman Miyah Verse and fifth-year transfers Taniyah Thompson (Penn State) and Destiny Thomas (UCF).