Georgia freshman basketball player Kareem Stagg arrested on driving-related charges

Georgia basketball player Kareem Stagg was arrested Wednesday in Oconee County (Ga.) on driving-related charges, according to the Athens Banner-Herald. The 6-foot-8 freshman forward was charged with speeding and driving without a valid license, per On3’s DawgsHQ.

“We are aware of the charges and are actively gathering additional information,” a Georgia athletics spokesperson told the Banner-Herald. “As this is an ongoing legal matter, we will not be providing further comment at this time.”

Stagg was booked into Oconee County Jail at 2:58 p.m. ET and released nearly an hour later at 3:48 p.m. after posting $1,245 in bond, according to the online booking report reviewed by DawgsHQ.

Stagg, who was driving a 2023 Tesla Model Y, was reportedly clocked at 87 mph in a 65 mph zone by a Dragonfly laser detection device and immediately pulled over by an Oconee County Sheriff’s officer, according to the incident report obtained by the Banner-Herald. When the officer asked for Stagg’s driver’s license, the 18-year-old provided a Georgia driver’s course certificate with a number connected to a learner’s permit displayed on it.

That permit requires a licensed driver over 21 to be present in the vehicle, a condition Stagg told officers he was aware of. Stagg’s April 8 arrest comes just a day after the Bulldogs big man announced the passing of his father on Instagram.

Georgia’s NIL collective announced Stagg was returning for the 2026-27 season on April 1, which the 6-foot-8 power forward shared on his personal Instagram. Stagg averaged 4.8 points and 2.4 rebounds in 33 games as a true freshman in 2025-26, including starting the Bulldogs’ final nine games of the season.

“He’s the only guy on our team that’s playing multiple positions,” Georgia head coach Mike White told DawgsHQ. “The only guy that has to learn offensively and defensively all the nuances of everything we’re doing from the four. With what we do offensively and defensively at the four, it’s almost interchangeable at times with the two and the three. Then know everything we’re doing at the five. He really is playing four positions for us, and he’s 18 years old. It’s really incredible. He’s really detailed, he’s really smart, and he’s really talented. He’s going to be a heck of a player.”

In fact, after averaging 3.8 points and 10.1 minutes through the first 23 games, Stagg’s production elevated to 6.9 points and 19.3 minutes per game as a starter. He had five double-digit scoring efforts on the season, three of which occurred over Georgia’s final 10 games.

Stagg signed with Georgia as a four-star prospect in the 2025 recruiting cycle out of IMG Academy, where he was the No. 14-ranked power forward and the No. 73 overall player in the class, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted composite of all three primary recruiting media services.