Yale transfer forward EJ Jarvis will join the Florida Gators as a graduate transfer he announced on Twitter Friday. He signed with UF instead of Miami, Georgetown, Notre Dame and four others.
Jarvis is a 6-foot-8-inch forward that can maneuver past defenders and finish at the rim. The left-handed shooter also brings consistency to Florida head coach Todd Golden’s offense. Jarvis shot 55% from the floor last season for the Bulldogs.
The Washington D.C. native played at Yale from 2019-2023. Jarvis appeared in 62 games with the Bulldogs and averaged 8.1 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.
However, his career numbers took a hit during the middle of his time at Yale. He was limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic during the 2020-2021 season. He then suffered an injury, which sidelined him during parts of the 2021-2022 season and only allowed him to play 22 games.
Jarvis elevated his skillset in his senior season by adding a 3-point shot to his arsenal. He shot 40.6% from behind the arc on 32 attempts last season. In his first two seasons with the Bulldogs, he shot only eight attempts from three and missed all of them.
With a better jumper outside of the paint, Jarvis averaged 11.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game in Yale’s 2022-2023 campaign.
At 200 pounds, Jarvis uses his frame and size to control the interior on both ends of the floor. He swatted 44 shots last season — which included a stout defensive performance that saw him get a season-high four blocks against Cornell March 11.
The Bulldogs finished the 2022-2023 season with a 21-9 overall record and fell to the Princeton Tigers 74-65 in the Ivy League Championship game. They lost in the first round of the National Invitational Tournament to the Vanderbilt Commodores 71-62.
Jarvis announced his entry into the transfer portal March 17 — three days after Yale’s season ended.
Eight Gators ran out of eligibility or left for the transfer portal. Jarvis will now replace Florida’s former big men — graduate student forward Colin Castleton and senior center Jason Jitoboh’s presence inside.
Jarvis will join Florida’s current group of forwards — sophomore forward Alex Fudge and freshman forward Aleks Szymczyk. He is currently the most experienced forward on UF’s roster.
Contact Brandon Hernandez at bhernandez@alligator.org. Follow him on Twitter @BranH2001.
Brandon Hernandez is currently the enterprise sports writer and sports podcast host for The Independent Alligator. He likes long walks on the sidewalk and watching basketball tape in his off time. You can find most of his work @BranH2001 on X and on The Courtside Podcast on Spotify.
