Florida basketball recruiting: Power forward Dontay Bassett commits to Gators

Lost in the somewhat tumultuous day that was Monday, Florida's basketball program added a new commitment to the mix: Dontay Bassett, a three-star power forward from Oldsmar Christian School, pledged to the Gators over Colorado, announcing his decision on Twitter.

I'm proud to say I'm committed to the University of Florida

— Dontay Bassett (@dontezzy_bo) October 12, 2015

Bassett is 6'8" and 210 pounds, according to 247Sports, and ranked the No. 233 prospect in the country in the 247Sports Composite rankings. His highlights are about as unspectacular as highlights get.

Florida only apparently offered Bassett in September, and possibly only after understanding it had missed on St. Louis-area star Tyler Cook, who chose Iowa over Florida and Missouri just a week after the Gators offered Bassett.

And in the greater context of Mike White's efforts to establish himself on the recruiting trail in Florida and as a national presence as Billy Donovan's successor with the Gators, Bassett doesn't really move the meter. And Florida's recruiting class currently features two in-state prospects from the same high school, with fellow Oldsmar Christian School player Eric Hester having committed to White and staff in August — certainly, this doesn't feel like a lot of traction.

But White is a relative unknown trying to fill the shoes of a legend, and that legend's last team did finish with a losing record, missing out on every postseason tournament for just the second time in his tenure. The combination of the two things — and the well-timed rises of Florida State and Miami, especially as players for major in-state recruits — seems likely to doom Florida to a low-key recruiting class.

White can't really start changing perceptions, however, until his team starts playing games. And with the season just over three weeks away, you can bet he — and his staff, and his players — are eager to get going.