Florida Basketball 2018 Recruiting Breakdown
Florida’s Class of 2018 consists of five-star point guard Andrew Nembhard, four-star shooting guard Noah Locke and four-star small forward Keyontae Johnson. Nembhard, Locke and Johnson are all top-70 recruits, per Rivals, and bring game-changing talent to the University of Florida.
Chose Florida over Gonzaga, Ohio State, USC, Seton Hall and Connecticut
Mike White’s Comments: “Wonderful family, great kid. High, high level passer, playmaker. He has an ability to make everyone around him better...High-level competitor.”
Strengths
* Pass-first point guard with terrific vision
* Makes players around him better, like Chris Chiozza
* Great ballhandling skills in transition and the halfcourt
* Plays with a lot of poise and doesn’t get flustered easily
* Quick first step and ability to get to the rim
* Forces turnovers with active hands and fantastic anticipation
* Rarely commits turnovers
* Great at setting up shooters
Weaknesses
* Average wingspan for his size (6’4” wingspan for a 6’4” player)
* Lacks consistent mid-range and three-point shot and needs to work on shooting mechanics
* Struggles to get to the free throw line
* Occasionally dies on screens on defense
* Could add a little more weight
Comparison: Rajon Rondo
Andrew Nembhard reminds me exactly of Rajon Rondo with a little more size and a little more height. Nembhard is a pass-first point guard with a knack for forcing turnovers and has court vision far beyond his years. The Ontario-native looks to set up his teammates first, second and third before looking for his own shot or opportunity to score. Nembhard will have a chance to start at point guard his freshman year as the Gators lack another true point guard besides Michael Okauru. If Nembhard, the first five-star recruit at Florida since Devin Robinson, pans out like a lot of scouts expect him to, Gator fans will feel much more relived about losing Chris Chiozza.
Chose Florida over Kansas, Virginia, Xavier, Michigan, Ohio State and Maryland
Mike White’s Comments: “He is one of the best shooters I have ever recruited, arguably the best. I hate to put that pressure on him, but that’s what he embraces. [His] shot making ability, his leadership skills, bright kid, hard worker. I am really excited about him.
Strengths
* One of the best three-point shooters in the Class of 2018, if not the best
* Can score from all levels of the floor (paint, mid-range, three-point)
* Quick release on jump shots
* Terrific shot mechanics
* Can spot-up for three-pointers and pull up off the dribble with his quick release
* Deadly mid-range jumper
* 6’8” wingspan for a 6’2” player
* Shoots with poise, even in crunch time
* Fantastic coming off of screens
* Limitless range
Weaknesses
* Could add a little bit of weight
* Occasionally passes up opportunities at the rim for less efficient mid-range jumpers
* Not great at finishing with contact
* Needs to work on his offhand
* On-ball defense and defensive rebounding need improvement at the high major level
Comparison: CJ McCollum
Like CJ McCollum, Noah Locke makes his money on being a terrific shooter from three-point range and mid-range with a quick release. Locke uses his pump-fake, in similar fashion to McCollum, to create space and establish room to drive to the rack or pull up with a jump-shot. Locke will need to work on his defense, something Mike White evaluates heavily in regards to playing time. Locke will replace the shooting of Egor Koulechov and more than likely backup KeVaughn Allen next season.
Chose Florida over Texas Tech, Virginia Tech, Providence, Minnesota and Georgia Tech
Mike White’s Comments: “We’re really excited about what Keyontae [Johnson] brings to our team. His skill set complements Andrew Nembhard and Noah Locke in this class. Just like those guys, we think he will fit this team really well on the court and in the locker room.”
Strengths
* Elite dunker with an insane highlight reel to prove it (see below)
* Terrific athlete with a 41-inch vertical leap
* Strong, physical wing who can lockdown the opposing team’s best offensive player
* Excellent in transition
* Fantastic offensive rebounder and great at put-backs
* Loves to attack the basket and get to the foul line
* Finishes well with contact
* Soft shot and can shoot off the dribble/while set
* Solid shot-blocker
Weaknesses
* Can be over-aggressive at times on both ends of the floor
* Sometimes tries to overdo it on dunks, resulting in wasted opportunities
* Could improve ballhandling
* Not a great playmaker or passer
* Needs to improve on-court vision
Comparison: Andre Iguodala
Keyontae Johnson reminds me of a younger Andre Iguodala. Yes, the younger Gator fans reading this article will wonder why I’m comparing Johnson to a grizzly, three-point shooting veteran in Iguodala. Early in his career, Iguodala was an electric dunker and one of the best transition scorers in the NBA. Johnson’s lock-down defense is reminiscent of Iguodala’s during his career in Philadelphia, while his thunderous slams can bring a crowd to its feet, similar to Andre during the mid 2000s. If Johnson pans out like Iguodala did, Florida fans will be thrilled.