Florida Gators basketball announces signing of Stokes

Special to GC

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida confirmed on Friday the signing of Isaiah Stokes for its 2017 recruiting class during the early signing period.

“We’re incredibly excited about all three guys in this class,” head coach Mike White said. “Isaiah had hoped to make his announcement on his own terms when he had his whole family with him, so it’s unfortunate for his sake that it leaked how it did. That said, Isaiah is really excited to be a Gator, and we’re equally excited to have him as part of the Florida basketball family and think he can be a really good player here. We are proud of this class and think they will all be great fits for our program and our style, and we’re happy that they’ve chosen to be a part of the Gator family.”

In addition to the three early signees in this class, the Gators will also have Virginia Tech transfer Jalen Hudson eligible to compete for the 2017-18 season.

Isaiah Stokes
6-8 | 273 | F/C | Memphis, Tenn. | IMG Academy
· Rated a four-star prospect by ESPN.
· Ranked 60th in the ESPN 100 rankings for 2017.
· Strong and powerful with a great post arsenal and a solid jump shot.
· Brother of Jarnell Stokes, a two-time All-SEC player at Tennessee.
· ESPN.com bottom line: “He’s said to be very similar to his brother [Jarnell] at the same stage of their development, but he has a shad of Kennedy Meeks in his too as his wide frame, quick feet, and solid skill set inside of 15 feet make him a major mismatch problem.”

Previously-announced 2017 signees:

DeAundrae Ballard
6-6 | 195| G | Atlanta, Ga. | Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy
· Rated a four-star prospect by ESPN and 247sports and a three-star recruit by Rivals.
· Ranked 65th in the ESPN 100 rankings for 2017.
· Great length and motor and a versatile scorer.
· ESPN.com bottom line: “Ballard is a high major wing that is a versatile scorer who is capable of big numbers and has excellent upside.”

Chase Johnson
6-8 | 205 | F | Ripley, W.V. | Huntington Prep
· Rated a four-star recruit by ESPN and a three-star recruit by 247Sports.
· Combo forward with the ability to play a stretch-4 position.
· Great athlete with a knack for finding the ball.
· ESPN.com bottom line: “He’s a young and blossoming forward with notable upside because he combines athleticism, a foundation of skill and a good nose for the ball.”

Andrew Spivey
Andrew always knew he wanted to be involved with sports in some capacity. He began by coaching high school football for six years before deciding to pursue a career in journalism. While coaching, he was a part of two state semifinal teams in the state of Alabama. Given his past coaching experience, he figured covering recruiting would be a perfect fit. He began his career as an intern for Rivals.com, covering University of Florida football recruiting. After interning with Rivals for six months, he joined the Gator Country family as a recruiting analyst. Andrew enjoys spending his free time on the golf course and watching his beloved Atlanta Braves. Follow him on Twitter at @AndrewSpiveyGC.