Gator Country

Florida Gators prospect Austin Nichols believes the Miami Heat will win but he will be "rooting" for the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals, which begin Tuesday. / Gator Country file photo by Tim Casey

With the NBA Finals beginning Tuesday, the experts on television are all attempting to correctly predict the outcome of this anticipated series.

However, it seemed necessary to find out what Florida Gators basketball signees and undeclared prospects are thinking about this year’s NBA Finals.

Will LeBron choke again in the finals like he did against the Dallas Mavericks? Can the Oklahoma City Thunder overcome their youth to capture the title over the hyped Miami Heat?

Check out what team these recruits believe will win and their reasoning behind their decision:

2014 PF Jalen Lindsey (Christ Presbyterian/ Nashville, Tenn.) “Yeah I for sure think OKC will win because they play as a team. And who is going to stop Kevin Durant?”

2013 PF Austin Nichols (Briarcrest Christian/ Franklin, Tenn.) “I think the Heat will win, but I’m going to be rooting for the Thunder. Durant is a great player and an even better person so that’s why I’m rooting for them.”

2012 SG Dillon Graham (The First Academy/ Orlando, Fla.) *Signed with UF “I think the Heat will win. LeBron is due for a championship and they are playing good right now. When LeBron gets hot there is no stopping him. (Dwayne) Wade is too quick to the basket to stop and (Chris) Bosh is a solid mid-range shooter who will knock down shots and rebound.”

2013 SF Ishmail Wainright (Montrose Christian, Raytown, Mo.) “KD and LBJ are the best players in the league. They both have something to prove, but I’m going with the Heat.”

2014 PG Richard Lee (Blanche Ely/ Pompano Beach, Fla.) “OKC because their speed and athletic ability, defensive intensity and their bench is better than the Heat.”

2014 SG Dimitri Thompson (Orlando Christian Prep/ Orlando, Fla.) “In my opinion, I think the Thunder will win because they have such a strong inside presence.”

2013 SF Reggie Cameron (Hudson Catholic/ Paterson, N.J.) “I think the Thunder will win the series. LeBron will have a great series and so will Wade, but I think the Thunder’s supporting cast does too much and their role players show up nine times out of ten. Also, if LeBron and Durant cancel each other out, Wade and (Russell) Westbrook cancel out, there’s no answer for (James) Harden.”

2013 SG Josh Hart (Sidwell Friends/ Silver Spring, Md.) “Miami will win. LeBron has been playing really well and Bosh is contributing. If Wade can pick up his game and give them energy like he has, I think they are unstoppable.”

2012 SG Michael Frazier (Montverde Academy/ Montverde, Fla.) *Signed with UF “I think the Thunder will win because they have a younger team and because they have more weapons than the Heat with their big three in Durant, Westbrook and Harden, and then they (Serge) Ibaka, who would be a star on some other teams in this league with his ability to stretch the floor.

“I also believe that the Thunder have a better bench than the Heat. Miami has to depend on LeBron too much since Bosh is just coming back off an injury an Wade hasn’t been as consistent as he would like to be.”

“But with the Thunder, their big three is playing fantastic and they play off each other very well. They have had four of their stars step up in big games, along with their big three playing more consistent than the Heat’s big three. That’s why I think the Thunder win the Finals in six games.”

2013 SF Dre’Kalo Clayton (Orlando Christian Prep/ Orlando, Fla.) “My team is Miami and the reason why I picked them is because LeBron is going to bully Thabo Sefolosha. Plus, Westbrook is going to take too many shots and try and act like Durant.”

2014 SG Adonys Henriquez (Orlando Christian Prep/ Orlando, Fla.) “I pick the Heat because LeBron is going to take over the series.”

2014 C Dakari Johnson (Montverde Academy/ New York, N.Y.) “(I pick) the Heat because nobody can stop LeBron the way he is rolling right now and his time is right now.”

2014 PF Malik Price-Martin (Monsignor Pace/ Miami Gardens, Fla.) “I think the Heat will win in seven games because LeBron is too hard to guard and the Thunder are too young.”

About the author

DrewLaing

Drew Laing is a junior at Samford University in Birmingham, Ala. Before college, Drew lived in Lakeland, Fla., his entire life. He began in journalism during his senior year of high school and has continued studying it throughout college. In addition to his internship at Gator Country, he is the Editor-In-Chief of The Samford Crimson and a collegiate correspondent for USA Today. Drew enjoys the finer things in life like Tampa Bay Rays baseball and PB&J sandwiches.

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