Former Newton High School basketball star Ashton Hagans has determined his next chapter in his professional basketball career.

On Sept. 27 it was announced that Hagans would sign with the Xinjiang Flying Tigers of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) in Urumqi, China. This marks the first time that Hagans has played professionally overseas.

After going undrafted in 2020 after playing two seasons at Kentucky, Hagans began his professional career with the Minnesota Timberwolves where he played in two games. After being released due to allegedly violating COVID-19 protocols, Hagans played for a number of NBA G-League teams, including the Raptors 905, Fort Wayne Mad Ants, Greensboro Swarm and the Rip City Remix.

Last season, Hagans earned a 10-day contract with the Portland Trail Blazers and later signed a two-way contract with the team. Hagans played in 19 NBA games, earning one start. He averaged 4.2 points per game (PPG), 2.4 rebounds per game (RPG) and 2.8 assists per game (APG) in 19 games played.

Hagans basketball journey began in Newton County, where he was a student-athlete for the Newton Rams. He accumulated a number of accolades while at Newton, including being named Mr. Georgia Basketball in 2018, a distinction for the best high school player in the state.

While preseason play is currently underway in the CBA, Hagans and the Flying Tigers will begin the CBA regular season in a matchup against the Jiangsu Dragons on Oct. 13.