Providence Basketball: Top-60 2019 recruit Greg Gantt commits

Providence basketball has started its 2019 recruiting class with a bang. How does Greg Gantt fit with the 2019-20 season and where does PC turn now?

Providence basketball got an early start to its 2019 recruiting class by landing their top target, Greg Gantt. Gantt is a 6’7” wing from Fayetteville, North Carolina who is ranked as the 53rd best prospect in the 247 composite rankings. The biggest competition for Gantt came from Florida, Texas, and Pitt. Providence coaches focused on him throughout July and head coach Ed Cooley and assistant Jeff Battle were present at almost all of his recent games.

In a recent interview, Gantt cited the culture and family-like atmosphere at Providence as a major selling point:

"“The family first culture is big to me.  Many schools just want you for what you can do them athletically, but don’t really care about you as a person. Coach Cooley is a loyal and understanding guy, so with that being said, that’s somebody you would go to war for.”"

Gantt is an extremely talented player who has the versatility to play positions 2-through-4 for Providence. He is a excellent athlete who can attack the basket and finish above the rim. His long-range shooting and defensive abilities also stand out, which shows that he is a well-rounded player. The most underrated part of his repertoire is his passing and vision, though. Being able to handle the ball and create for others from the wing position is extremely appealing in a prospect.

Needless to say, this is a crucial addition for Providence. When analyzing the 2019-2020 roster, Gantt will definitely see some immediate minutes as Isaiah Jackson and Emmitt Holt will have graduated. Alpha Diallo will be a senior when Gantt is a freshman, so Gantt could take over his role as a sophomore. Coach Cooley has built an intriguing group of long versatile wings as incoming freshmen for this year (2017-18) AJ Reeves, Jimmy Nichols, and Kris Monroe are all multi-positional.

The Friars still have two open spots in the 2019 class and are in need of a scoring guard and a big man to replace Dajour Dickens, who recently transferred. It looks like their next priority is Akok Akok, the shot-blocking floor spacer who has recently soared up the rankings due to a breakout summer performance. The competition for his services will be intense as Syracuse and UConn are both heavily involved.

Center Balsa Koprivica is a top-40 player in the class of 2019 and Providence is reportedly in hot pursuit. Baylor, Florida State, and Gonzaga are also involved with the talented seven-footer. Akok’s AAU teammate, Wildens Levesque, could also be in play for this spot. Providence recently offered Kai Jones as well, an athletic big who has garnered significant attention of late.

The guard targets are much less clear. Providence has been mentioned with Dahmir Bishop and Caleb Mills, but the level of their involvement and chances with either is unclear. Adding a sit-out transfer who can provide scoring off the bench would also be very valuable and could be a strong alternative.

Gantt is a huge addition and he could be the start of another strong recruiting class for Providence. It will be interesting to see who the coaches turn to their focus to and which players visit Providence in the fall.