Basketball took UGA legend D.A. Layne around the world

Auburn: Gerald White, guard, 1983-87

Florida: Greg Stolt, forward, 1995-99

Georgia: D.A. Layne, guard, 1998-2001

Kentucky: Tony Delk, guard, 1993-96

LSU: Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf (nee Chris Jackson), guard, 1988-90

Ole Miss: Ansu Sesay, forward, 1995-98

Mississippi State: Erick Dampier, center, 1994-96

Missouri: John Brown, forward, 1970-73

South Carolina: Gary Gregor, center, 1965, 67-68

Tennessee: Dr. Ed Wiener, forward, 1952-55

Texas A&M: John Thornton, forward, 1974-75

Vanderbilt: Matt Freije, forward, 2001-04

Basketball has taken D.A. Layne literally all over the world. And now it has led him back to the heart of Atlanta.

The former Georgia Bulldog is one of 14 “SEC Legends” being honored during the SEC tournament at the Georgia Dome this week. Layne, who played for the Bulldogs from 1998-2001, will be recognized at halftime of Georgia’s quarterfinal game Friday night and on Saturday with the 13 other legends between semifinal games.

“As far as being recognized for your hard work and dedication, it’s truly a blessing,” said Layne, a native of Muncie, Ind., who moved to metro Atlanta and starred at Wheeler High. “I just tried to put on my hard hat every day and go to work and represent the University of Georgia to the utmost. So being honored in this regard is a true blessing, and I’m humbled.”

Layne, a 6-foot sharp-shooting guard, led the Bulldogs in scoring as a sophomore (18.3 ppg) and junior (16.8). He left UGA to turn professional after his junior season. He was not selected in the NBA draft of 2001, but played professionally overseas for about five years.

Layne’s talents took him to Colombia, Spain, Venezuela, China and Mexico. Exhausted from the endless travel with no tangible NBA prospects and longing for home, Layne returned to Atlanta in 2006.

“It was both an adventure and a grind,” Layne said this week. “I was travelling around the world, and that was a great experience; you see some things you’d think you’d never see or be around. But it was definitely a grind, too. You’re really practicing more than you are playing. You’re practicing twice a day and playing about once a week. But you learn a lot about different people and different cultures.”

Layne points to two moments during his UGA years as highlights of college career.

In the third game of his freshman season, Georgia traveled to North Carolina to face the mighty Tar Heels at the “Dean Dome.” Thanks in no small part to Layne, the Bulldogs put a scare in 10th-ranked Carolina. He made four shots in a row at one point — including two 3-pointers — and led Georgia with 15 points before the Dogs went down 65-58.

“I got back home and was watching a replay and Dick Vitale did that game,” Layne recalled. “After I hit my third or fourth shot in a row he says, ‘Did anyone tell this freshman this is the house that Jordan built?’ Coming from Dick Vitale and mentioning me, that was like the ultimate compliment for a young kid.”

Team-wise, Layne said he will never forget Selection Sunday in 2001 when the Bulldogs received a NCAA tournament bid despite having only 16 wins.

“That was just unbelievable,” said Layne, who remains 10th on the Bulldogs’ all-time scoring list with 1,451 points. “We had played the No. 1 schedule in the country that year and we got into ‘The Dance.’ When I committed to Georgia, that was our No. 1 goal. So when we got there, that was great for the team and definitely great for the school.”

Now 34, Layne resides in Ellenwood with his wife, Ashley. He has a 12-year-old son, Justin, and a daughter, London, who is 1. Layne owns an auto-body shop, R&D Collision of Marietta, with his stepfather, operates a part-time sports-management business and conducts an annual NBA skills camp for 9- to 14-year-old boys called “In The Layne Skills Camp.” It’s being held June 23-27 at Wheeler (go to InTheLayneSkillsCamp.blogspot.com for more information).

But Layne said his proudest accomplishment was finishing his work for his degree and graduating from UGA in 2012.