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Freshman forward Dontay Bassett will redshirt during the 2016-17 season after being diagnosed with a stress fracture in his right foot.
Prized Prospect
There were certainly high hopes for Dontay Bassett going into this season for the Gators. Bassett was a three-star recruit out of Oldsmar Christian High School in Oldsmar, Florida. With the Eagles, Bassett served as the team captain as his team made it to the SIAA state championship.
The 6’9” , 222 pounder says he wears the number 21 jersey because of his admiration for Tim Duncan. Admittedly, comparing Bassett in any way to Duncan at this point in his career would be irresponsible. However, his admiration for Duncan could say something about his personality. Duncan is not only a sure-fire hall of fame player, but also often synonymous with class. Basset, who was the 16th best recruit in the state of Florida according to Rivals.com, also has said his favorite player currently is Kevin Durant.
Those two are certainly not the worst examples to follow for a young forward.
The Road Back
Surgery will indeed be required to fully heal Bassett’s injury. This surgery though is what will keep Bassett off the court this season. The projected recovery is expected to be four to six months.
While it may seem crushing for a young player to miss his first college season, Bassett seems to remain in high spirits.
Everything happens for a reason 🙏🏾🙌🏾 #Gators🐊🏀 pic.twitter.com/0DhbrTlL3A
— Dontay Bassett (@dontezzy_bo) October 21, 2016
If all goes well, Bassett should be back to full-health in time for next season. On a positive note, the year rehabbing could allow Bassett to learn the system and get acclimated to the college basketball environment.
Florida Basketball will get its first taste of the court this year on October 26 against Eckerd College in an exhibition. The Gators were picked to finish second in the SEC in the preseason media poll.
