Yale transfer forward EJ Jarvis will join the Florida Gators as a graduate transfer he announced on Twitter Friday. He signed with UF instead of Miami, Georgetown, Notre Dame and four others.
Jarvis is a 6-foot-8-inch forward that can maneuver past defenders and finish at the rim. The left-handed shooter also brings consistency to Florida head coach Todd Golden’s offense. Jarvis shot 55% from the floor last season for the Bulldogs.
The Washington D.C. native played at Yale from 2019-2023. Jarvis appeared in 62 games with the Bulldogs and averaged 8.1 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.
However, his career numbers took a hit during the middle of his time at Yale. He was limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic during the 2020-2021 season. He then suffered an injury, which sidelined him during parts of the 2021-2022 season and only allowed him to play 22 games.
Jarvis elevated his skillset in his senior season by adding a 3-point shot to his arsenal. He shot 40.6% from behind the arc on 32 attempts last season. In his first two seasons with the Bulldogs, he shot only eight attempts from three and missed all of them.
With a better jumper outside of the paint, Jarvis averaged 11.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game in Yale’s 2022-2023 campaign.
At 200 pounds, Jarvis uses his frame and size to control the interior on both ends of the floor. He swatted 44 shots last season — which included a stout defensive performance that saw him get a season-high four blocks against Cornell March 11.
The Bulldogs finished the 2022-2023 season with a 21-9 overall record and fell to the Princeton Tigers 74-65 in the Ivy League Championship game. They lost in the first round of the National Invitational Tournament to the Vanderbilt Commodores 71-62.
Jarvis announced his entry into the transfer portal March 17 — three days after Yale’s season ended.
Eight Gators ran out of eligibility or left for the transfer portal. Jarvis will now replace Florida’s former big men — graduate student forward Colin Castleton and senior center Jason Jitoboh’s presence inside.
Jarvis will join Florida’s current group of forwards — sophomore forward Alex Fudge and freshman forward Aleks Szymczyk. He is currently the most experienced forward on UF’s roster.
Contact Brandon Hernandez at bhernandez@alligator.org. Follow him on Twitter @BranH2001.
Brandon Hernandez is a student at the University of Florida studying journalism. He is a writer for The Alligator, Gator Country and for PlugTalkSports. You can find most of his work on his Twitter (BranH2001) and on his podcast, “The Courtside Podcast,” on Spotify.
