Two visits set for Colin Castleton
Colin Castleton was one of the major risers of the July evaluation periods. The 6-foot-11, 220-pound post player has the rare combination of post-up game and the ability to knock down shots from the perimeter at his size. It was enough for his recruitment to take off over the past month.
Illinois, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Xavier and Purdue are the schools coming after Castleton the hardest right now. Castleton also mentioned interest from Michigan, Ohio State, Indiana and Texas. Last week, Castleton took an unofficial visit to Florida State. During June, he made stops at Clemson, Florida and Georgia.
IN HIS OWN WORDS
Castleton talked some of the schools he’s visited and a couple of the schools he plans to see next month.
Illinois: “I like them because the system coach (Brad) Underwood has that he’s told me about. It will be really good to get up there and see everything in person. And the relationship I have with coach (Orlando) Antigua is really the main thing. He was the first coach to offer me at South Florida and he was one of the first coaches I talked to. He called me the first day he got there.”
Xavier: “They have been an established program for years now. Coach (Chris) Mack has established something a lot of coaches haven’t. His coaching staff has been in contact with me a lot. I can’t wait to get up there and see what they have. It’s a really good academic school, and that catches my eye a lot.”
Florida State: “Florida State was good. I love what they are doing and the plan they have for me. It’s a really good plan. My goal and dream is to get to the NBA, and they have a plan for me to do that.”
Florida: “Florida is my dream school. It’s been my favorite since I was a kid. That right there catches my eye. When they first contacted me, I couldn’t believe it. I love coach (Mike) White. We have a really good relationship. I’m just waiting to see what happens with their scholarships because they don’t have any open ones in 2018 for me, but they would definitely be at the top of my list.”
Georgia: “Georgia was good. I love their campus. It’s a college town with a really beautiful campus. The coaching staff was great there too. Coach (Mark) Fox is a good guy. I sat down and talked to him a lot. I liked that school because he’s coached a lot of NBA guys, and that catches my eye. They are still trying to turn it around in the SEC, but I like them a lot.”
WHAT'S NEXT?
Castleton has two official visits set up at the moment. The first will be to Illinois on Sept. 1 and Xavier on Sept. 7. He does plan to use all five of his official visits, but hasn’t decided which schools will get the final three trips. He’s hoping to wrap up his decision before his season starts. If he doesn’t, he’s going to wait until after the season because he wants to focus on his team during the season.
RIVALS' REACTION
Castleton is pretty open about his love for the Gators. If Mike White and his staff have room, it’s hard not to see the Florida native ending up in Gainesville. If not, it opens the door for other schools to battle it out. Illinois has made a strong impression on him, and you can’t discount how rock solid his relationship with Orlando Antigua is. Florida State and Georgia will also be in the mix here as both have had him on campus and have impressed him by having a good plan for him.