Once Makinde London decided to transfer from the Xavier men’s basketball program, he immediately started looking for a place he believed he could have a great relationship with the head coach.
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and Matt McCall provided that.
The 6-foot-10 London decided Wednesday to continue his career with the Mocs, committing early in the morning and signing his letter of intent in the afternoon. He will have to sit out the 2016-17 season but has two years of eligibility remaining.
The former four-star prospect and Nashville native – who grew nine inches during his high school career – appeared in 18 games for the Musketeers last season, scoring 29 points and grabbing 23 rebounds. A skilled shooter, he took 25 shots with 18 coming from 3-point range – seven of which he made.
“I’m looking forward to coming in and being a part of a great program,” London said in a phone interview Wednesday. “I’m a versatile player, and I want to do whatever I can for the program.”
He said he learned a lot playing for Xavier, which hovered around the top 10 rankings for most of last season. That offset the fact that he may not have been able to contribute how he wanted to, and he looks forward to having that chance at UTC.
“Right now, I’m just focused on getting stronger,” he said, adding that he spent time with UTC strength and conditioning coach Collin Crane on his visit. “I just want to get stronger, faster and better in every way I can. I’m ready to get down there and go to work.”
London is the sixth player to sign or commit for next season, although only four will be eligible due to transfer rules. Guards David-Jean Baptiste, Rodney Chatman, Nat Dixon and Makale Foreman are signed for next season, while London and Iowa transfer Andrew Fleming will have to sit out.
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenleytfp.