Forward EJ Jarvis (15) averaged just over 11 points per game and shot 55 percent for the floor in 2022-23.
Harry Fodder: How EJ Jarvis Fits In
Monday, April 3, 2023 | Men's Basketball, Chris Harry
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By: Chris Harry, Senior Writer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The transfer turnstile began spinning almost immediately — and in earnest, at that — with the conclusion of Florida's 2022-23 basketball season three weeks ago, as five players went into the portal in a matter of eight days.
The restocking of the UF roster officially began Monday, with the first incoming Gator.
The numbers tallied by forward and grad-transfer EJ Jarvis over his four years at Yale won't floor UF fans, but Coach Todd Golden and his staff believe they landed a player who will be a productive contributor, high-energy performer and outstanding culture addition to a program looking to rebuild and rebound from a 16-17 season that marked the program's first losing record in eight years.
Jarvis, a 6-foot-8, 220-pound left-hander from Washington, D.C., played just 10 games as a freshman in '19-20, lost his entire sophomore '20-21 season when the Ivy League shut down all its teams due to the COVID pandemic, then started just five of 22 games as a junior in '21-22. His '22-23 senior season was a different story, as Jarvis started 22 of 30 games, averaged 11.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks. He shot 55 percent overall, including 57.1 from the 2-point area and 40.6 from the 3-point line, albeit with a small sample size (13 of 32), and helped the Bulldogs to a 21-9 record and regular-season conference championship before losing to eventual NCAA Sweet 16 participant Princeton in the Ivy League Tournament.
So, that's what Jarvis put on paper. What he put on film is what Golden really liked. The intangibles jumped off the screen.
Yale Transfer Forward EJ Jarvis is one of the best in the Transfer Portal. He was able to show his elite ability to finish at the rim, block shots, and rebound. On top of that, the ability to hit the pull up jumper and three ball.
— Transfer Portal for Playing Time (@TP4PT) March 19, 2023
Let's start with the fact that his Ivy League pedigree speaks for itself relative to basketball IQ. That is not an overrated trait, especially for a well-rounded athlete like Jarvis, who was a sprinter, high-jumper and threw the shot and discus in high school.
Jarvis, who goes by "Edge," is also a fierce competitor, which is something the team sorely lacked in the front court during Golden's first season. He will battle on the glass (a third of his rebounds came on the offensive end) and is very good in ball-screen coverage. Offensively, he'll be right at home as a screener-and-roller, reversing the basketball and picking-and-popping, if that's what the Gators need. And therein lies an important element, as Jarvis made it clear during his official visit last week that he'll be just fine with whatever role — including off the bench — the staff defines for him in his last crack to see how he fares in a high-major conference. EJ Jarvis
And speaking of high-major competition, Jarvis played against four power conference teams (all competitive losses on the road) during this past season. His performances looked like this:
Colorado — nine points, one rebound in just 16 foul-plagued minutes, but four of five from the floor.
Butler — 14 points, six rebounds, but made six of 12 field-goal attempts.
Kentucky — 12 points, seven rebounds, 6-for-12 from the floor while banging against 2022 NCAA Player of the Year Oscar Tshiebwe.
Vanderbilt — eight points, eight rebounds in a season-ending NIT loss.
Throw in three games (two of them wins) against Princeton and Jarvis came in at 10.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and shot just over 59 percent against the best teams on the Yale schedule. It's worth noting that the Bulldogs finished No. 65 overall in KenPom.com team metrics, which was 10 spots higher than the Gators.
Jarvis will arrive here for the Summer "A" session next month with a degree in Urban Studies and begin work on a master's degree at the Warrington College of Business, but also dive into offseason workouts with his new teammates. Sounds pretty routine, right? Except for the fact Ivy League teams do not practice in the offseason (most of their student-athletes are doing internships), meaning this highly motivated and highly intelligent new Gator will have five months to transition and train in a matter he's never before been afforded during his college career.
UF has a lot of player acquisition work to do, but the Gators like how the process has tipped off.
The numbers tallied by forward and grad-transfer EJ Jarvis over his four years at Yale won't floor UF fans, but Coach Todd Golden and his staff believe they landed a player who will be a productive contributor, high-energy performer and outstanding culture addition to a program looking to rebuild and rebound from a 16-17 season that marked the program's first losing record in eight years. 
