How Asia Avinger secured a role as captain in first year with Georgia women's basketball

Georgia women's basketball junior guard Asia Avinger comes from a family of boys.

She has two brothers, Winthrop and Noah, the latter being her twin. Born in Long Beach, Calif., both play for the San Diego State Aztecs. Winthrop, or "Lucky", is a senior and Noah a junior. Their father, Skinner, played football for Portland State.

Avinger transferred to Georgia after two seasons with the Aztecs and has already taken on a role as a leader for the Lady Bulldogs (8-4), evident by the title of point guard and captain. Her presence and addition to the roster have ignited something fresh within the group.

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"They voted her captain, and she's brand new so that's something. I don't vote for captains, I made every single (woman) pick someone, you couldn't vote for yourself, and it was all 'Asia, Asia, Asia, Asia.' That says something," Georgia coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson said. "The coach isn't picking, and the (team) knows she has the intangibles to be a great leader.

"One of the biggest compliments as being picked as a captain, is that you come every day with the same mentality. You work hard. There's not a day you take off if you're a captain. if you're a leader. Everybody voted for somebody that's only been here since what, June? Six months, that's how long she's been here, and everybody voted her as a captain. That says a lot about her."

Through 12 games, Avinger is averaging 6.3 points, 4.0 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game.

The amount of competition she dealt with growing up being the only girl in the house played a big part in building her "brick house," as Abrahamson-Henderson put it after the season opener against North Carolina A&T.

"Her brothers just beat her up every day, it was great, and everything was tough, tough, tough, tough, tough and they weren't going to back down on her," Abrahamson-Henderson said. "They played sports too. They played basketball, soccer, everything and dad played football, so they just have that athletic family (dynamic) and they trash talk each other at home. That's her. She was raised that way, you know.

"It just depends on what kind of family you come from. That's ... hers and I think it has a lot to do with her twin brother. They just competed against each other all the time. Dad always says she's the head of the house."

"She's a real quick, athletic guard. There are literally moments when I look at her and I have to tell her to go get a bucket," fifth-year forward Javyn Nicholson said. "She's very capable of doing it, because it's important while she's still trying to figure out the system, still trying to figure out how she can get hers.

"Coming from her old team, she was always the guy, so she's having to figure it out but she's definitely someone I (plan to) have conversations with, some that I have to count on to put up more points at the end of the day. Asia Avinger should never have six points in a game, in my opinion. She's that kind of elite guard to me."

Fifth-year guard Chloe Chapman also said Avinger gels well with the rest of the team, and Abrahamson-Henderson said that's exactly why the West coast native wears the 'C," reminiscing on when they first met each other and how Avinger played last season in the West Palm Beach Invitational with the Aztecs.

"She didn't get her top scoring (that night), but she loved the way we were pressing her, and she was their only point guard, so she was worn out," Abrahamson-Henderson said. "When she went in the portal this year, I called her immediately and she was like, 'Oh my god I love the way you guys play.' And I said, 'Alright, let's go.'"

Georgia hosts Wofford on Saturday, Dec. 30 at noon in their final game of 2023. SEC-play begins Jan. 4 at home against Texas A&M.

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: How Asia Avinger earned captain status for Georgia women's basketball