With the recent string of Tampa Plant High athletes making their oral commitments in the last two weeks, one more decided to join the fun.
Without the flair and hoopla that came with the announcements of schoolmates James Wilder Jr., Phillip Ely and Tony Posada — all football players, four-star junior shooting guard Michael Frazier orally committed to play for the Gators late Monday night.
According to Bob Horodyski, Frazier’s AAU coach, Frazier committed early because he wanted to finish the recruiting process and all the mail and phone calls that go with being a sought-after recruit. He chose UF because of the proximity to his family and the chance to play for coach Billy Donovan and the program he built.
His decision makes him Donovan’s first recruit for the class of 2012.
“I was a little surprised that he committed this early,” Horodyski said. “But it was probably a smart thing to do. He felt comfortable with Billy (Donovan). … I think he’s got a great opportunity at Florida.”
Listed at 6-foot-4, Frazier is rated by Rivals.com as the 13th-best two guard in the class of 2012.
He received offers from nearly a dozen schools and, according to Horodyski, even garnered attention from Duke and North Carolina.
As a sophomore at Plant last season, Frazier averaged 26.7 points per game, while also pulling down almost eight boards per contest. After scoring 695 points last year, Frazier became the first sophomore in Hillsborough County history to surpass the 1,000 career points mark.
“He’s probably one of the best shooters I’ve ever coached,” Horodyski said. “He’s got deep range, and not only can he shoot open jump shots, but he can rise and shoot over people … with pretty good accuracy. He’s a marksman, no doubt about it. He can flat out shoot the ball.”
Horodyski said Frazier’s shooting touch reminds him of former UF guard Kenyan Weaks. During his four seasons at UF, Weaks shot nearly 43 percent from beyond the arc, making him one of the most prolific shooters in school history.
While Horodyski heaped praise on Frazier’s offensive game, adding that he is adept at attacking the basket and finishing well with both hands, he said the 180-pound guard needs to work on his defense and ball-handling skills.
However, he still has two seasons to perfect those facets of his game before enrolling at UF, Horodyski said. In addition to basketball, Frazier also serves as the director of the choir at his father’s church.
“As great a basketball player as he is, and he’ll become, he’s probably a better person,” Horodyski said. “That’s rare to come by these days.”
Oral commitments are non-binding until on or after National Signing Day.
