Florida Gators head coach Mike White and his staff have been trying to rebuild the Gators’ roster since he arrived last year in Gainesville.
So far the Gators have two commits for the class of 2017, but they’re still looking for big men in the class.
Power forward Xavier Tillman (6-8, 230, Grand Rapids, MI Christian) is one of the top targets inside and he says that he has a great relationship with White and Florida.
“Truthfully, they’ve always been the Florida Gators to me,” Tillman said of his interest in Florida. “I’ve always known them as a big basketball school. My relationship with Coach White and coach [Dusty] May has really put them over the top.”
White has explained to Tillman that the Gators are in desperate need for big guys inside and explained how Florida will use him if he chooses the Gators.
“Coach White tells me that I’m needed there and that I’m going to get my minutes,” Tillman said of White’s message. “He said that I’m going to get my playing time and that they’re going to go through me. He says that they don’t have a big that can just sit down on the block. He said that they’re looking for a big and that I’m the one they want.”
During a recent trip to Gainesville White and May both showed Tillman how the Gators offense works and will through the big guys inside.
“We actually sat down and looked at their style of play when I took an unofficial visit there,” he said. “They’ve showed me highlights where they want me to look for my cutters first in the post. They want me to set up other people up since I have a high IQ. They also want me to score down low.”
This offseason when Tillman visited Gainesville it was his first trip to Florida and the forward loved his time on the Gators campus.
“The trip was fantastic, it was just fun to be down in Florida in the first place,” Tillman said of his unofficial visit. “The scenery and all of the opportunities education wise was great. The SEC Network is a perfect opportunity for me. The whole trip was just great.”
The recruiting season is about get even crazier for Tillman, who set up his official visit schedule on Monday.
“I’m taking my official visit to Florida on September 9th,” Tillman said. “I’m going to Purdue on August 26th, Michigan State on September 2nd and Marquette on September 23rd. “
After Tillman takes his official visits this fall he wants to announce shortly after he’s finished with the visits.
“I want to make my decision in October,” he said. “It will either be the first or second week of October after I take my four official visits.