GREEN BAY, Wis.– Daeshon Francis (Indianapolis, Ind.) and Khalil Small (Chicago, Ill.) signed National Letters of Intent on Wednesday to play their collegiate basketball for the Green Bay men's basketball program, head coach Brian Wardle announced. The two guards will join the program beginning with the 2014-15 season.
“I am extremely excited to add both Daeshon Francis and Khalil Small to our program,” Wardle said. “They are good fits for our locker room, they are humble young men that are unselfish and team first individuals that want to win. They also fit into our program identity as players. They are talented perimeter players that really compete, defend, and rebound. Daeshon and Khalil bring explosive intangibles that you can't teach and will help continue to build on our strong foundation.
“Both are hungry guys that want to be in Green Bay and have room to improve, so their best days of basketball are ahead of them. They have chips on their shoulders and have something to prove, and we have had great success with developing players with these qualities. Both of these guys have played for coaches that our proven winners. Daeshon and Khalil will be high-character student-athletes at our institution and both are excited about what they can bring to Green Bay on and off the floor.”
Brian Wardle: “Khalil Small is a powerful and physical perimeter player. He brings a lot of intangibles to the program. He is a tough hard-nose defender, a very good rebounder, and backs down to no one. He can also score in a variety of ways and is very versatile.”
Khalil Small: “I have athleticism but can be a real team player. I have defensive intensity on the court and can also score. On my team right now I am one of the leading scorers, but I can do whatever Coach Wardle asks me to do for the team. I can bring a few highlights to the games, but I just want to help the team win.”
Loren Jackson, Victory Rock Prep Head Coach: “I think it is an unbelievable opportunity both for Green Bay and Khalil. He is definitely going to add athleticism and toughness along with skill to the Green Bay program. Brian has really made some strides with Green Bay, and I think he got a really good one in Khalil and I think he got a sleeper. He makes shots, is explosive and is a big-time athlete. He can really guard the basketball 1-on-1, and he puts the ball in the basket.”