White likes his incoming freshman class
Tuesday, May 19, 2015 | Men's Basketball, Chris Harry
Arkansas Gatorade Player of the Year KeVaughn Allen, who led his high school team to a third straight state championship, was sold on the recruiting re-pitch by new UF basketball coach Michael White. [Photo courtesy of The Arkansas Press-Democrat]
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Each time Michael White spoke to KeVaughn Allen the conversations became more and more promising. That was a very good sign.
When White was named the new Florida basketball coach nearly two weeks ago, he basically had to re-recruit the class of four incoming Gators, headlined by Allen. Each of the prospects signed up to play for Billy Donovan and the previous staff, so White had some selling to do.
Of himself, his assistants and how he was going to play.
“But they were all fond very fond of the University of Florida,” said White, who ultimately kept to three of the four players signed by the previous staff for the 2015-16 season. “Fast-tracking a relationship was of the utmost importance with all these guys, just to give us a chance.”
The 6-foot-3, 170-pound Allen led North Little Rock to a third straight Class 7A Arkansas state championship, scoring 28 points in the title game. Donovan's departure put Allen on the fence, amid reports (both in Arkansas and from national college basketball writers) that he would join Atlanta power forward Noah Dickerson and ask out of his UF national letter of intent.
But White, who won 101 games in four seasons as head coach at Louisiana Tech, was undeterred. White travel to Arkansas and met with Allen, showing him video of the up-tempo, pressure-defense style he's bringing to Florida. The coach followed up those meetings with phone calls, text messages and more emailed videos. With each conversation and exchange of information, the odds of keeping Allen solid to the Gators got better.
For context, those odds -- in the wake of Donovan's departure -- probably started at 40-60, but slowly began tipping in Florida's favor the more White was injected into the equation.
50-50 ... 60-40 ... 70-30
Then came Monday's conversation.
“I'm about 90-10, Coach,” Allen told White.
Said White: “Can we get you to 95?”
“Yes.”
“Well then, how 'bout 100?”
Done.
When Allen, who averaged 25.2 points 6.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 3.1 steals per game as a senior, arrives for the Summer B semester, he'll step into a backcourt fray that already includes junior Kasey Hill and sophomore Chris Chiozza, both of whom either started or logged significant minutes last season, redshirt freshman Brandone Francis (who sat out last season while gaining academic eligibility) and fourth-year junior swingman DeVon Walker (who missed last season with a knee injury).
“KeVaughn is a big-time athlete and a bit-time competitor,” White said. “He can really score and handle the ball, but he's also a winner. I'm excited to coach him.”
Allen's freshman class also includes 6-9, 190-pound Kevarrius Hayes, by way of Live Oak (Fla.), who averaged close to 20 points and 10 rebounds per game, along with Keith Stone, a 6-7, 240-pound combo forward from Deerfield Beach (Fla.) Zion Lutheran, who's received praise on the club circuit for nice big man's touch from the outside.
White on Hayes: “He's a long athlete with a good motor and great work ethic. He was really excited to be a Gator, being from right down the road. I think his ability to run and jump -- complimenting his length -- make him a really good fit for what we're trying to do here, schematically. Especially on defense.”
White on Stone: “Offensively, he's a fit. He's very talented. Great ball skills and a nice stroke for a kid his size. What I really like about him is he loves the game, is a gym rat, and is excited to be a Gator.”
