Florida Adds Michael Okauru to 2017 Class

Michael Okauru joined the Gators' 2017 men's basketball signing class, inking his National Letter of Intent on Wednesday.

"We're happy to officially welcome Michael to the Gator family," head coach Mike White said. "We expect him to be a great fit here, along with the rest of our incoming class, and look forward to having them on campus."

In addition to Okauru, the Gators already had three early signees – DeAundrae Ballard, Chase Johnson and Isaiah Stokes – who combine to make up ESPN.com's ninth-rated recruiting class in the nation.

In addition to the incoming freshmen, Florida will have redshirt junior transfer guard Jalen Hudson available after he sat out last season.

Michael Okauru
6-4 | 180 | G | Raleigh, N.C. | Brewster Academy

Rated a four-star prospect by ESPN and a three-star prospect by Rivals and 247sports.
Rated the No. 8 player out of the state of North Carolina.
Great size and athleticism with playmaking ability.
ESPN.com bottom line: "Okauru is a talent but he may be a bit of a long-term stock for the Gators. He'll contend for a spot in the rotation early on, but he has a chance to be a totally different player in a couple of years if he can continue to develop his ball skills and confidence, and could consequently prove to be a late bloomer."

Early signees

DeAundrae Ballard
6-6 | 195| G | Atlanta, Ga. | Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy

Rated a four-star prospect by ESPN and 247sports and a three-star recruit by Rivals.
Ranked 65th in the ESPN 100 rankings for 2017.
Great length and motor and a versatile scorer.
ESPN.com bottom line: "Ballard is a high major wing that is a versatile scorer who is capable of big numbers and has excellent upside."

Chase Johnson
6-8 | 205 | F | Ripley, W.V. | Huntington Prep

Rated a four-star recruit and top 100 player by ESPN and a three-star recruit by 247Sports.
Combo forward with the ability to play a stretch-4 position.
Great athlete with a knack for finding the ball.
ESPN.com bottom line: "He's a young and blossoming forward with notable upside because he combines athleticism, a foundation of skill and a good nose for the ball."

Isaiah Stokes
6-8 | 273 | F/C | Memphis, Tenn. | IMG Academy

Rated a four-star prospect by ESPN.
Ranked 60th in the ESPN 100 rankings for 2017.
Strong and powerful with a great post arsenal and a solid jump shot.
Brother of Jarnell Stokes, a two-time All-SEC player at Tennessee.
ESPN.com bottom line: "He's said to be very similar to his brother [Jarnell] at the same stage of their development, but he has a shad of Kennedy Meeks in his too as his wide frame, quick feet, and solid skill set inside of 15 feet make him a major mismatch problem."

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