Big East Basketball: Top early 2019 recruiting starts in the conference

SAN ANTONIO, TX - MARCH 31: Head coach Jay Wright of the Villanova Wildcats reacts against the Kansas Jayhawks in the second half during the 2018 NCAA Men's Final Four Semifinal at the Alamodome on March 31, 2018 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /

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NEW YORK, NY – MARCH 09: Head coach Ed Cooley of the Providence Friars celebrates. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

5. Providence Friars

National Ranking: No. 32

A lineup featuring multiple versatile wings is the future of basketball. Teams around the country are transitioning to “positionless” basketball and stockpiling athletic wings who can score both inside and out is an excellent recruiting strategy. These players might not be easy to find but they have the potential to be extremely valuable players down the road. In regards to Providence basketball, head coach Ed Cooley has started his 2019 recruiting class off with a bang in the form of Greg Gantt.

A 6-foot-7 wing from North Carolina, Gantt is currently ranked at No. 50 in the class and is increasing his recruiting stock almost by the day. With superb athleticism to go with his college-ready frame, Gantt projects as someone can play positions 2-through-4 at any time. With this positional versatility on both ends of the floor, the expectation is that he can come in and provide immediate minutes once he joins the team for 2019-20 and beyond.

In nine games in the Under Armour Association, Gantt was a consistent performer. En route to averaging 11.9 points per game during this stretch, Gantt scored in double figures in seven of nine contests. He recorded shooting slashes of .529/.375/.784 as well. To round out his numbers, Gantt also posted 5.0 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.

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