USF offers emerging 2021 TN wing
USF offered White County (Sparta, TN) High School wing Grant Slatten Tuesday night after Brian Gregory and his staff evaluated extensive video on the class of 2021 prospect.
Slatten also holds offers from Morehead State and Tennessee Tech. However, the 6-foot-6, 190-pounder has recently picked up offers from several high major programs such as Florida, Florida State, Mississippi, Purdue, Vanderbilt and Virginia Tech.
“They just recently started recruiting me within the last week and they gave me the offer,” Slatten said about the USF coaching staff. “I’m extremely blessed to have it.”
The Tennessee native was surprised when Bulls assistant coach Tom Herrion called and offered.
“It kind of caught me off guard. I’m excited to have it. He said that coach Gregory is going to call me later this week. Coach Gregory has known my dad for a while, they’re pals.
“He said he knew that I could shoot the ball, pass and do all that but he really focused on my athleticism last year. He said it jumps off the page from last year to this year of how much my athleticism has improved, being able to finish above the rim and just go in on people. I was really excited to hear that because that is something I’ve really been working on and I’m glad it is getting noticed.”
Gregory’s oldest daughter is starting her freshman year at Notre Dame so he and his family are in South Bend, Indiana moving her in.
Before the Bulls began recruiting him, Slatten was somewhat familiar with USF and its basketball program.
“I knew a little bit about them as a basketball program because I watch college basketball all the time,” he said. “So, I’ve seen them before. As a school I kind of knew about them. I have family that lives in Tampa, my aunt lives down there, so that’s how I kind of had a relationship with that area.”
Slatten recently had Zoom meetings with coaches at Florida State and Mississippi. He talked about them and a few other programs that are recruiting him.
Florida State: The Zoom meeting went great. It was with coach Ham (Leonard Hamilton) and coach (Stan) Jones. They were the main two. Those are the two who are recruiting me to Florida State. Those were the two that kind of carried the Zoom call. I really enjoyed it. I had a great time speaking with them and learning about the program.
Mississippi: Coach (Win) Case and coach (Kermit) Davis they talked about their program. They showed me some of their facilities and kind of walked me around their facilities on the call. I’m very intrigued.
Vanderbilt: My AAU head coach text me and said ‘Hey, Vanderbilt reached out to me about you.’ That was exciting. I know Vanderbilt is one of the top schools in the country and academics is very important to me so I was excited about that and he was too. Coach (Mike) Couey from EAB is a great supporter of me.
Purdue: They’ve been talking to me for a little while now. They send me stuff in the mail all the time, they text me they’re in the Big Ten and are definitely a great basketball program. It’s just been a good experience throughout my entire recruitment. So, I’m glad they’re recruiting me as well.
RUSS’ REACTION
To call Slattens’ recruitment ‘late blooming’ is not an exaggeration. Things have taken off quite rapidly and could continue to do so if he plays well in a grassroots event in Birmingham on Friday. Gregory’s lengthy relationship with Slatten’s father, plus his aunt living in Tampa certainly don’t hurt the Bulls chances. Especially in a late developing recruitment.