JuCo star Ricardo Ratliffe considering Gators

By Adam Silverstein
February 17, 2010

Central Florida Community College power forward Ricardo Ratliffe (Hampton, VA) is looking to play for a Division I program in 2011, and the Florida Gators stand out as one of the most prominent teams on his short list, according to The Gainesville Sun’s Richard Burton.

Ratliffe, at 6’9″ 240 lbs., is considered by most scouts to be the best junior college prospect in the country. He attended two recent Florida home games and even worked out with the Gators at times over the summer.

“When I first got [to CFCC], [Florida] was recruiting me, but then they kind of backed off for a while because they thought they had what they needed inside,” Ratliffe said. “They thought they had the toughness and overall good play inside, but as the season went on, they realized they needed tougher players and players who would go after rebounds.

[Head coach Billy] Donovan was saying, ‘We have the best player in the nation 30 minutes away,’ so they’ve just tried to get back. They began recruiting me again last month and they are trying to make up for lost time.”

Speaking about Donovan, Ratliffe called him “a straight shooter” who “thinks I will have to work for it, but if I go there, I can be a starter with hard work.” Starting is important to Ratliffe, who realizes he has to make an impression with NBA scouts quickly as he will be a junior in 2011. “I can’t come off the bench being a junior,” he added. “It’s not like coming out of high school. I’m looking to start right away.”

The earliest Ratliffe can officially sign with a school is April 14.

With redshirt junior center Vernon Macklin and junior forward Alex Tyus both likely returning in 2011, freshman F Erik Murphy earning additional playing time and 2010 four-star F recruits Patric Young (Jacksonville, FL) and Casey Prather (Jackson, TN) already in the fold, Ratliffe may end up looking elsewhere. Alabama, Arkansas, Clemson, South Carolina, LSU and Missouri are also vying for his services.

2 Comments

  1. Wingtee says:

    It’s amazing that BD did not go after him hard all the way. Can’t he realize our deficiency with a lack of tough guys. Iam surprised we have a shot

  2. Did you read the last paragraph of the story?

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