Image Credit: Lorenzo Vasquez, UAA
Florida Gators basketball have landed one of the biggest commitments of the recruiting cycle — literally. Center Jones Lay (Hickory, NC) on Tuesday night decided to continue his playing career Florida.
The 7-foot big man, who despite having serious range remains unrated by most recruiting services at this juncture, committed to head coach Todd Golden after taking an official visit to check out the Gators over the weekend. Lay spent the last year signed to Overtime Elite’s Dreamerz but did not play until the summer due to injury.
Lay does not have a bevy of Power Four offers like other prospects Florida is considering as potential signees this cycle, but Golden and his scouting department have time and again proven that they are able to find diamonds in the rough and cultivate them into top-tier players.
Besides the Gators, Lay recently noted interest from South Carolina while already holding scholarship offers from Eastern Kentucky and Old Dominion in his back pocket. While Lay has not shared whether he will shut down his recruitment, he was previously scheduled to visit the Gamecock with Loyola Marymount and Santa Clara also reacing out to him recently, per 247Sports.
Florida last season became the first college basketball team to win the national championship without a top 100 player since the NCAA Tournament expanded to 64 (and then 68 teams). While Lay is the Gators’ first Class of 2026 pledge, the program has four-star wings CJ Ingram (Montverde, FL) and Alex Lloyd (Fort Lauderdale, FL) set to join as part of the Class of 2025. Ingram is ranked 19th nationally, while Lloyd checks in 41st in the 247Sports Composite.