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Freshman Rayjon Tucker makes FGCU recruiting history

If you thought the best players FGCU basketball has ever seen are gone and never to return, think again.
The Eagles’ recruiting class this year may be the best the program has ever seen beginning with four-star, top 100 recruit Rayjon Tucker, the highest-rated recruit in school history.
Tucker comes from Charlotte, North Carolina, where he averaged 24 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists as a high school senior along with three steals and three blocks per game.
His 6-foot-5, 205 pound frame makes him quick and explosive with the ball in his hands. Jumping with a 48-inch vertical he excels when attacking and has great ability when playing above the rim.
Tucker was ranked the No. 1 sleeper in the nation by USA Today  from the early 2014-15 signing period. He was in good company at the top of this list as the other four recruits attended top programs such as Ohio State, Notre Dame, Baylor and South Carolina.
It wasn’t hard to see that Rayjon was influenced by this above-the-rim, Dunk City offense.
Last summer, he participated in the American Family Insurance High School Dunk Contest, where he finished second.
“That was a great experience to do the dunk contest on TV in Indiana with some of the kids I played with over the summer and knew in AAU. Meeting new people from different schools and talking about their experience and recruiting process was fun and I loved it.”
Tucker chose FGCU over several other BCS program offers, but only took one school visit before committing to Dunk City.
“Dooley kept a relationship with me as the head coach and basically took me in as another son,” Tucker stated.
“That’s what I was looking for in a school was a family-type atmosphere and I love that about him.”
Dooley’s recruiting class this year comes from championship programs and knows what it takes to win games.
Tucker won a state title his junior year in high school before losing in the finals en route to his second title senior year.
“It’s all about effort and the will to play,” Tucker said. “If you want to win, nine times out of 10 if you play hard you’re going to win. All the guys here want to win and have that winning attitude.”
Tucker feels right at home on the team and is expected to come in and produce right off the bat for the Eagles. Veteran players have had a big influence during his time in Dunk City thus far as they help Rayjon’s transition to Division I basketball.
“The main thing they have helped me out with is telling me to be that explosive kid I am on every rep and possession,” he said. “Playing with energy, being coachable, and listening to the experiences they had so I don’t have to go through what they went through and can be one step ahead of the game.”
FGCU will open its season away from Alico on Saturday, Nov. 14 against the Ohio University Bobcats in Athens, Ohio. Tucker showed Dunk City fans a preview of what he’s got winning the intrasquad slam-dunk contest at FGCU’s annual pep rally Dunk City After Dark.
He’s set to go and ready to bring wins to FGCU basketball any way he can.
“There’s no particular role I want to play. As long as we get the dub that’s really it. That’s all I really care about.”

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