October 15th will be a huge weekend in Gainesville with LSU coming to town to take on the Gators on the gridiron and the basketball team will be taking advantage of the atmosphere by welcoming a high level target to town for a visit.
David Castillo, a guard in the class of 2024, will be taking a visit to Gainesville for an unofficial visit as the Gators try to get in the mix for one of the most exciting ball handlers in the class. It’s clear that the Gators are looking for a lead guard in the 2024 class with Castillo alongside Dedan Thomas as top targets at the moment, and it’s also clear they’re not just looking for anyone–they want a stud.
Currently ranked 17th in the 2024 class, Castillo is one of the top guards available. Hailing from Bartlesville, Oklahoma, his 17th overall ranking makes him the top player in the state.
From a style of play standpoint it’s hard not to see shades of a recent 5-star guard from the state of Oklahoma–Trae Young. Standing at 6’1” and 165 pounds Castillo is built similarly and whenever he crosses halfcourt he’s got the same threat of the deep jumper that Young had and you can see defenses terrified of what he can do offensively every time he touches the basketball. Castillo is a tough shot taker and a tough shot maker, and while coaches like Todd Golden aren’t going to like a lot of the shots he takes, the fact he can make them shows the potential of an elite college guard once he’s reigned in a bit.
Taking a different path than a lot of similarly top level recruits, Castillo didn’t leave his hometown to go play at a basketball powerhouse. He has stayed in his hometown to play at Bartlesville High, playing with the friends he grew up with and showing off the loyalty he has to people who have treated him right. This also allows him to take just about every shot he could ever want, which won’t translate one for one to the college game but it is currently giving him valuable reps to hone his offensive abilities in ways he couldn’t if he was playing at a higher level.
If you’re worried about how his game would translate to playing against better competition, don’t be. He has played with Team USA’s U-16 and U-17 teams where he has commanded minutes and won a pair of gold medals, and the past summer he played with Team Griffin at the prestigious Peach Jam and dominated–and that was with him playing up a year with much older players.
Wherever Castillo goes he’ll bring instant electricity to the offensive end of the floor and his pure shot making ability could go a very long way in his basketball career.
Some of the schools considered to be most heavily in the mix are Arkansas, Kansas, Oklahoma State, Gonzaga, and LSU in addition to the Gators.
In other recruiting news the Gators also welcomed one of their first 2025 recruits to Gainesville for an unofficial visit in Kash Polk. Polk is a 6’8” forward with fluid athleticism and a smooth jumper, looking very similar to 2023 Florida commit Thomas Haugh. Golden definitely has an affinity for long, skilled forwards that can bring offensive firepower as well as length so it makes sense why Polk would be an early target for 2025. Currently playing at Argyle High School in Texas it’s currently a lot of in-state schools in the running such as Texas A&M (his first offer), TCU, and SMU, but it’s very early for 2025 players to be heavily recruited and there will be plenty more suitors for Polk.