For top players entering the transfer portal early the first step in a recruitment is usually a Zoom call and from there it’s the teams trying to get them on campus for an official visit. With the condensed timeline of the transfer portal players don’t take as many visits as they did back when they were high school recruits with more time, so if a team can get a transfer player on campus–that player is extremely interested.
Right now the Gators have three players officially set to visit campus and that means they are names you need to be aware of.
JP Pegues
Furman
Getting a point guard to replace the incredible production of Zyon Pullin is a top priority for the Gators and right now their top target is JP Pegues from Furman. The Furman Paladins have been a consistent winner at the mid-major level and they’re known for their tremendous execution on the offensive end and in recent years Pegues has played a massive role in making that happen. A versatile talent who can create on his own or play a pass-first role, he averaged 18.4 points, 4.8 assists, and 4.3 rebounds last year. In Furman’s offense he had the opportunity to play as a primary creator and off the ball in their Princeton scheme that had the ball in the hands of the center, meaning Pegues has a great feel as a screen setter and cutter. Pegues’ analytical profile jumps off the page in a number of areas, particularly when it comes to running pick and rolls. According to Synergy Sports he was in the 85th percentile nationally as a pick and roll ball handler, the kind of number you want to see from a lead guard that’s going to make the step up from mid to high-major basketball. He has a low turnover percentage, he doesn’t commit a lot of fouls, he draws a lot of fouls, and he knocks down his free throws at a 87% clip–something fans would love after a year of adventurous free throw shooting from the Gators. There is a ton to love about Pegues and there is a reason he’s one of the best guards in the portal, and therefore one the Gators will be willing to do a lot to get. The knock on Pegues will be his lack of elite size at 6’1” and 185 pounds and the fact he’s not a lockdown defender, but he is as skilled and high-IQ on the offensive end as you’re going to see from a mid-major target.
Pegues is set to visit Florida on April 12th.
Sam Alexis
Chattanooga
While the Gators would love some proven upperclassmen that have shown they can dominate in good leagues, they are also trusting their evaluations to try and get some less heralded players with multiple years of eligibility that can develop into All-SEC contributors. Sam Alexis fits that bill after finishing his sophomore year at Chattanooga averaging 10.8 points, 9.1 assists, and 1.8 rebounds. Those numbers are solid but not the kind of eye-popping stats you normally see from mid-major targets, but the Gators love the physical tools and the production he has already shown and would love to have him in orange and blue for multiple seasons. Alexis stands at 6’9” and 230 pounds and moves extremely gracefully for someone who is filled out physically. You can see that mix of strength and mobility when it comes to his ability to pursue missed shots on the glass, ranking 43rd in the country in defensive rebounding rate and 93rd in the country in offensive rebounding rate. He also was 37th in the country in block rate, and all of these indicators are similar to what the Gators liked last season in Micah Handlogten. The difference between Handlogten and Alexis is that Alexis is much more developed physically and is a better athlete, perhaps suggesting a different kind of ceiling and a smooth fit in a league as athletic as the SEC. Something to be concerned about is the fact that he shot only 48% from the free throw line, though he has shown some ability to hit jumpers going 22-71 (31%) from three in his career. A native of Apopka, Florida, he certainly has interest in heading back to his home state and the Gators will be one of his top offers.
Alexis is set to visit Florida on April 12th.
Amari Williams
Drexel
Last season the Gators had a deep frontcourt but it was a lot of players in the same mold–tall, long offensive rebounders who were a bit on the thin side, meaning physical centers had their way in the paint all season long. Florida is clearly looking to address that with the pursuit of Amari Williams, a big man coming in at 6’10” and 265 pounds who isn’t going to get pushed around by anyone. A native of Nottingham, England, Williams has spent four years at Drexel and has been a starter for the last three. He has had similar numbers in all three years as a starter averaging 12.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game. Those might not be massive numbers but he has posted them consistently, and Drexel has been a solid team in the CAA that finished a respectable 126th in KenPom last season. Like many of Florida’s targets there are several analytic rankings that pop for Williams, starting with his dominance on the defensive glass. The last three years Williams has been 28th, 6th, and 18th in the country in defensive rebounding rate, numbers that give him a viable case to be considered one of the best defensive rebounders in the country over the last three seasons. With his massive frame and nose for the ball he is always in the right place to box out opponents, and because of that the ball seemingly always falls into his hands. He has also ranked 39th, 38th, and 32nd in block rate the last three seasons, the kind of rim protection the Gators would love to clean up their shaky defense. Lastly, Williams has been 23rd, 32nd, and 44th in the country in fouls drawn, providing efficient offense at the charity stripe where he shoots a career 63% (which is one concerning number in his profile). When you look at what Williams could be for a high major team it’s not a primary initiator or someone that’s going to put up massive point totals, but he’s going to provide excellent interior defense and control the glass–something the Gators could desperately use.
Williams is set to visit Florida on April 21st.