INDIANAPOLIS - The IUPUI Athletics Department and head basketball coach
Jason Gardner announced the signing of
Taveion White (Prosper, Texas/Prosper HS/Pro Holmes Sports Academy) to a National Letter of Intent to join the Jaguars, beginning next season. White, a 6-foot-7 forward, currently attends Pro Holmes Sports Academy in Tampa, Fla., and will have four years of eligibility.
"Taveion is a high-level athlete that's going to come in and compete and make us better right away. He's a true energy guy who likes to get after it on the defensive end and plays well above the rim," Gardner said. "He brings a lot of maturity and toughness and I think his year in postgrad is only making him a more well rounded player.
"I think he fits in well with our guys and is a good fit for what we need going forward. We graduate Evan after this year, so we see him as a guy that'll come in and compete for those minutes up front right away."
White chose IUPUI over similar offers from Buffalo, Oral Roberts, Presbyterian and USC Upstate. He played AAU with a Texas Impact squad that featured nine college signees. White averaged 6.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game as a senior at Prosper (Texas) High School, earning first team all-district honors. He was chosen to play in the Faith 7 Basketball Bowl in Shawnee, Okla., against a team of Oklahoma's top high school standouts following his senior season. His senior year, he helped Prosper to a district title and a region semifinalist finish.
White was drawn to the Jaguars' style of play when making his college choice.
"I like the style of play in that they like to get up and down the court," White said. "I'm a long, athletic player who likes to run rim to rim. I want to come in and be a high energy player and get a lot of rebounds. I can bring energy with my dunks and I can guard all five positions.
"I visited a lot of schools that offered me. None of the other schools made me feel as welcome as the whole coaching staff did at IUPUI."
White intends on studying business management at IUPUI.
