Last night Florida offered highly regarded underclassman Henry Coleman III. The class of 2020 Trinity Episcopal (Richmond, VA) product announced the offer via his Twitter page.
During the 2017 travel season Coleman, the No. 57 ranked prospect in the sophomore class, moved back and forth between Team Loaded VA’s 15U and 16U teams. Gators assistant coach Darris Nichols spotted Coleman at an adidas Gauntlet event in July and from that point forward Coleman was firmly on the Gators radar.
“Coach Nichols saw me at a couple of games in Vegas,” Coleman said. “My AAU Coach Brandon Ward and him [sic] have a pretty good relationship that they built over time. I think he thought now was the right time to make the offer.”
We watched several of Coleman’s games and came away feeling that he is a good young player who is oozing with potential. He has great physical tools, an excellent frame, good size and length and he is an energy bringer. Coleman makes hustle plays and he does things to help his team win games that don’t show up on the stat sheet like being first to the floor for loose balls. Coleman told us that Florida sees those things as well.
“They really like how I can play the three at 6-foot-8 and developing a way better jump shot than I had last year,” Coleman said. “But just having a high motor, playing at a high level and also having a high IQ. But lastly they like how I just want to win all the time and do whatever it takes to win.”
In addition to improving his jump shot Coleman told us that since his high school season ended he has worked hard on one particular area of his game.
“Definitely ball handling,” he said. “That’s probably where I most lacked this year. I can handle the ball really well, it’s just becoming more comfortable and not just on the wing but full court. Grabbing it off the rim, taking it full court and being able to set up plays. Like coming off ball screens, being able to have my head up and looking from corner to corner to see the big.”
What does he know about the Florida basketball program?
“Honestly not much,” Coleman admitted. “I’m too young to really remember Al Horford and Joakim Noah but in the last couple of years I’ve kind of watched them and how they play at a high pace and they had really great guys come through there and kind of do whatever it takes to win.”
What does he want college coaches to notice the most about his game this spring?
“Definitely my high motor,” Coleman said. “Being able to play all around, being active, being a leader and doing whatever it takes to win. Whether that’s me scoring 30 points or me scoring three. Because the biggest thing is winning.”
As a member of the class of 2020 it is still early in the recruiting process for Coleman. College coaches are not even permitted to call or text him until midnight June 15. That has not stopped Coleman from thinking about what he is looking for in a school.
“Definitely somewhere that is like home,” said Coleman. “That’s what my dad always told me. My dad was highly recruited for football in the 90’s. He had offers from Penn State, UCLA and Syracuse; big offers but he decided to go to Virginia Tech – a school that really felt like home – and really helped change that program around. Somewhere like home that’s not like having the same scenery but just having a system that really fits me like a person and how I respond to the area.”
