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Florida Basketball Recruiting

Will Kasey Hill Be Billy Donovan's Best Recruit Ever?

Chances are, Billy D won't have to make that face at Kasey Hill very often.

You probably know that Kasey Hill, the lightning-quick point guard who will be the cornerstone of Florida's 2013 recruiting class, is likely to be one of the highest-rated recruits Billy Donovan has ever gotten for the Gators. But what you might not know is that Hill's star, already high in the firmament, is still on the rise.

Scout just released a new top 100 for the Class of 2013, and Hill's fifth on it. But the recruiting service is also calling its top eight an "Elite Eight" for that group's program-changing potential, and is including Hill in that praise. (Florida target Chris Walker is one spot behind Hill at sixth, and also listed in the "Elite Eight.") Brian Snow writes:

Hill and (Kevin) Young both have exploded in the last few months. Hill led his Montverde Academy team to a great showing at the NPSI in March, and hasn’t slowed down as a member of the Florida Rams. He went from a solid five-star player to one of the best in the class due to his play.

And Hill drew laurels from ESPN's Dave Telep ($) recently, too. Telep named him the best player he saw at the adidas VIP Run, and had more than that to say:

The most improved player I’ve seen? That would be point guard Kasey Hill. He’s refined his approach to the point guard slot and in my mind, become an elite player and impact recruit. There’s a difference between being highly rated and being an impact signee. He’s the best point guard Billy Donovan has ever recruited.

Great player, and still improving? This all sounds really good! So vote in our absurdly premature poll to tell us whether Hill will be Donovan's finest recruit ever, and tell me who I'm slighting (yes, Bradley Beal is in the poll for a reason) in the comments.

Poll
Will Kasey Hill be Billy Donovan's best recruit?
Yes, he's going to be an all-timer
52 votes
No, that's Bradley Beal
53 votes
No, it's someone else
39 votes

144 votes | Poll has closed

10 comments  | 

Florida Basketball Recruiting: Transfer Damontre Harris Down To Gators, Kansas

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South Carolina forward Damontre Harris will apparently not be a South Carolina forward next year. As reported by ESPN's Dave Telep, the former Gamecock will transfer to either Florida or Kansas, according to his high school coach.

"He’s not going to visit Marquette," (Heath) Vandevender said. "He’s between Florida and Kansas and there’s a lot of similarities between both. Kansas plays through their bigs. He might shoot more face-ups with Florida. Face-up jump shots are a part of his game. Both have had bigs that have done very well and gone to the NBA and both guys are hall of fame coaches. He would be really good at either place."

Harris was a member of the SEC All-Defensive Team in 2011-12, recording 2.3 blocks per game, and also averaged 6.8 points and 5.5 rebounds per contest. Florida fans will remember him from the Gators' second meeting with the Gamecocks, in which Harris had 12 points and six blocks, the latter number tying his career high.

Harris would not be eligible to play for Florida until the 2013-14 season, but would be a substantial boost to the Gators' frontcourt, which will lose Erik Murphy to graduation and likely lose Patric Young to the NBA.

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Florida Basketball Recruiting: Anthony Bennett Eliminates Florida

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Florida was looking to add bulk, depth, and talent to its frontcourt with consensus top-10 recruit Anthony Bennett. But that's not going to happen: According to a report from Scout's Evan Daniels, Bennett has eliminated the Gators and is considering Kentucky, UNLV, and Oregon as his final three schools.

The decision comes as something of a shock, and not just to Daniels: Bennett was regarded as a 50-50 Florida-Kentucky toss-up by most, with rumors that he was leaning toward the Orange and Blue persistent. Instead, it seems that Bennett, a Canadian who spent his senior year at Findlay Prep in Nevada, may well be the latest high-profile recruit to head to Lexington and Big Blue Nation.

With Bennett seemingly out of the picture — and while crazier things have happened in recruiting than a guy eliminating a school and then choosing it, getting your hopes up would be inadvisable — look for Billy Donovan to pursue South Carolina forward Damontre Harris as a possible transfer and 2013 recruit Bradley Hayes.

20 comments  | 

Florida Basketball Recruiting: Five-Star Forward Chris Walker To Announce Soon

Billy Donovan could soon give Florida fans a reason to forget about all the recent mishaps while recruiting front court players. You know, aside from the whole going to the Elite Eight for the second straight season thing.

Five-star power forward Chris Walker (Bonifay, Fla.) is reportedly announcing his decision soon, although he has no specific date set.

More on Walker and other front court options after the jump.

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2 comments  | 

Florida Football Recruiting: Adam Lane Becomes Gators' First Class of 2013 Commit

Florida gained its first commitment from the Class of 2013 from running back Adam Lane. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

Will Muschamp has secured Florida’s first commitment for the Class of 2013.

Junior running back Adam Lane out of Winter Haven, Fla., made his commitment public earlier today and will be in attendance for the LSU-Florida basketball game. Scout.com broke the story on the commitment.

Although it’s early in the process, Lane said that he is working on being able to enroll early at Florida.

Lane’s physique and style of play is comparable to Jacksonville Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew. Lane is compact at 5’7", 207 pounds and uses his low center of gravity to get low on defenders and maintain balance.

The addition of Lane, albeit in the 2013 class, has to take some of the sting away from losing Class of 2012 running back Mike Davis, especially if the Gators can add two more backs in 2013.

Florida has its sights set on a number of top-rated ’13 running backs from Sunshine State. Lane mentioned that he is trying to recruit Ryan Green to join him at Florida. Other ball-carriers receiving attention from Florida include Greg Bryant, Kelvin Taylor and Georgia-commit Derrick Henry.

16 comments  | 

Florida Adds Elite Point Guard In Kasey Hill

Billy Donovan continued his hot streak when it comes to recruiting guards when he landed a commitment from elite 2013 point guard Kasey Hill (6-1, 160/Clermont, Fla.) of Montverde Academy.

Hill was in the O’Connell Center for Florida’s game versus Yale and committed the Gators following the game, citing his relationship with Donovan as one of the main factors in his decision. He gives Florida a fantastic prospect for the Class of 2013 and his recruitment may pay dividends with other elite players, too.

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16 comments  | 

Recruiting: Kasey Hill Commits to Florida Basketball

Is this a late Christmas present or an early New Year's gift? Either way, it seems that Montverde Academy Class of 2013 point guard Kasey Hill has committed to play basketball for Billy Donovan's Florida Gators.

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And in case you don't trust Hill's exuberant tweet, fellow Florida commit Dillon Graham confirmed Hill's commitment much shortly afterward, followed by a host of other writers.

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Hill was in attendance at Florida's 90-70 win over Yale on Saturday, which I swear I'll recap at some point tonight, and was wearing a Gators sweatshirt. He had also long been considered a Florida lean.

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29 comments  | 

Five-Star Forward Jarnell Stokes To Announce Thursday, Considering Florida

Billy Donovan could use another big man to pair with Patric Young up front for his Gators. Don't count on Jarnell Stokes filling that role.

Welcome Lance Davis, proprietor of the F Yeah Florida Gators blog and Twitter bon vivant. He'll be writing about recruiting for us.

Five-star power forward Jarnell Stokes (6-8, 255/Memphis, Tenn.) will announce his college decision tonight at 7:30 Eastern. Stokes, who will enroll in January and begin playing during the 2011-12 season, has a shortlist of Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Kentucky, Memphis and Tennessee. Of those schools, Florida, Memphis and Tennessee are presumed to be the favorites.

Early in the process, Florida was not much of a factor for Stokes. He was once considered an Arkansas lean because of his relationship with then-head coach John Pelphrey, now a Florida assistant. Stokes’ relationship with Pelphrey has put Florida squarely in the mix for his signature.

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32 comments  | 


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