The Gators men’s basketball team is losing seniors Kasey Hill, Canyon Barry, Justin Leon and Schuyler Rimmer to graduation, and it could possibly lose junior starters Devin Robinson and John Egbunu to the NBA Draft.
But with his first full year of recruiting completed, UF coach Mike White hauled in a top-30 recruiting class that includes four prospects who could have a big impact next year and for years to come.
DeAundrae Ballard, Small Forward
Ballard, a four-star small forward out of Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy, is the Gators’ highest-rated recruit. Rated the 18th-best prospect in the nation at his position, the 6-foot-6 Ballard is a wiry athlete who could provide versatility to a frontcourt in need of fresh talent.
White said Ballard reminds him of South Carolina guard and 2017 SEC Player of the Year Sindarius Thornwell.
“(Ballard’s a) high-motor guy,” White said. “Can score it. Can defend. Got some toughness to him… . He reminds me of (Thornwell) because of his intangibles, because of his motor and because of his frame.”
At 170 pounds, Ballard doesn’t quite have the girth to hold his ground against some of the NCAA’s larger forwards, but a summer spent in the weight room should help with that.
Isaiah Stokes, Power Forward
Regardless of whether Egbunu returns to Florida, Stokes, a four-star power forward out of IMG Academy, will be the heaviest player on the Gators’ roster. At 6-foot-8, 285 pounds, the Memphis, Tennessee, native will add much-needed size to a lineup that started 218-pound forward Kevarrius Hayes at center for much of the 2016-17 season.
Stokes made headlines in 2016 for breaking the backboard on a dunk during an AAU game.
He’s also not quite the same athlete as his brother, former Tennessee big man Jarnell Stokes, but he possesses great footwork inside the paint to go along with a feathery touch from the perimeter. Stokes’ offensive versatility will be an added asset off the bench — once he’s healthy, that is.
White said Stokes is dealing with an ACL injury and doesn’t know when he’ll return to the court.
“Isaiah Stokes has a chance to be a really good player here,” White said. “ I’m not sure how much of an impact he’s going to make next year or if he will even play next year… . (But) he’s got great skill-level girth. Obviously he’s a really, really big kid, highly skilled guy, big soft hands, very quick feet.”
Chase Johnson, Power Forward
Johnson, a three-star forward out of West Virginia’s Huntington Prep, is the final addition to the Gators’ frontcourt.
At 6-foot-8, 205 pounds, Johnson is a “quick-footed athlete,” White said, with a high motor and solid touch inside the paint.
White added that in time, Johnson could potentially develop an outside game.
“He’s developing his offensive game,” White said. “Another guy with good intangibles. Another culture guy.
“I like his toughness, as well.”
Michael Okauru, Point Guard
Okauru, a three-star prospect from Raleigh, North Carolina’s Brewster Academy, was the only point guard to sign with Florida in the most recent recruiting cycle. The 6-foot-3 Okauru will add length to a position that’s been relatively undersized for the Gators the past few seasons. With Hill (6-foot-1) graduating, White will surrender the reins at point guard to Chris Chiozza, who stands at 6 feet. Okauru has the ability to score at all three levels but will likely have a hard time breaking into a backcourt that already features talented scorers in rising junior KeVaughn Allen and rising redshirt junior Jalen Hudson. Okauru has shown a willingness to play defense, though, and that could earn him some playing time.
“I’m gonna play guys based on how they defend and how they rebound,” White said.
Contact Ray Boone at rboone@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter @rboone1994.
UF coach Mike White speaks with guard Canyon Barry during Florida's 71-62 win against Texas A&M on Feb. 11, 2017, in the O'Connell Center.
