In the hunt for Florida’s commitment there may be a surprising player emerging as one of the possibilities—guard Niels Lane.
This is a name many of you will be familiar with as the 6’5” New Jersey product has made a fan out of just about anyone who has watched him play and there’s no mistaking why the Gators’ coaching staff would really desire him. He’s got great positional size primarily at the shooting guard position and when him showcases his ball handling abilities as a point guard he has towed above competition. What makes Lane so intriguing is that his role in college could go a lot of different ways due to his versatility. He could develop into a primary scorer with the slashing skills he’s showcased or he could be a lockdown defender who also can knock down the three. Right now he’s a jack-of-all trades that could slide into a lot of roles and for a Florida roster that has lacked versatility in the lineup recently Lane could be a gift.
Lane really skyrocketed up the rankings with an elite spring and summer performance and he went from being a top-200 player to currently being ranked 84th. It’s always difficult for guards to differentiate themselves in today’s perimeter-heavy summer basketball circuit but Lane rose above the pack and established himself as one of the best out there and he’s checked every box in what makes a 4-star, top-100 guard.
Up until now the Gators have never been considered a leader in Lane’s recruitment. As a New Jersey product the Gators were battling pretty much every school in the northeast and even though a lot of recruiting analysts counted them out they’ve always stayed in the mix and while other schools seemed to be eliminated from the chase the Gators remained strong. Now, it’s looking like they could very easily land him.
Coach White is really trying to sell Lane on his ability to develop guards. Florida’s young staff is always good at building relationships with recruits and there is said to be some definite comfort Lane feels around the staff. Lane is a player who thrives in a spread out offense where the ball is constantly being pushed in transition and White will be trying to sell that the Gators will get back to that brand of basketball.
An x-factor in his recruitment is Lane’s close friendship with Scottie Lewis. They’ve been tight for a number of years and Lewis has been pushing for Lane to come to Florida. Considering it’s almost certain Lewis isn’t sticking around for another year to play with Lane it’s fantastic he’s still working as a primary recruiter here and it shows just how much Lewis thinks of Florida already.
Lane’s final five schools includes Florida, Texas, Miami, UConn, and Providence. UConn isn’t considered to be in a great spot for him but he did head there unofficially for a visit and Providence may be in the same position. Texas may be Florida’s biggest competition here as the Longhorns have made Lane a priority and have probably been going after him the hardest for the longest. They are getting his final official visit and I’m sure that’s going to make them feel like they’re in the driver’s seat.
As first announced on his Instagram, Lane is going to make his decision on October 8th which is his birthday. Florida is in a great position here and will be in it right until Lane makes his decision. He could be a tremendous start to the class if the Gators don’t get any commitment before then and if so watch out because Coach White could be on his way to another spectacular class.