Coach Bryan Hodgson has seemingly put the finishing touches on his Providence roster for 2026-2027, and he is aiming to begin building out his 2027 high school recruiting class. Gabe Nesmith, a five star wing playing for Overtime Elite, is taking a visit to Friartown today. The 18th overall player in his class, Nesmith was teammates with current Friar Clyde Walters at OTE.
Nesmith is being courted by a slew of schools geographically located in the southeast. Nesmith has taken visits to Vanderbilt, Kansas, and Louisville already and already holds offers from Auburn and Florida State, amongst others. I mentioned in the 2027 Recruiting Primer (linked below) that we shouldn’t be surprised to see Providence target kids in SEC-country. Hodgson and staff have spent most of their time coaching in the Southeast, so the majority of their relationships should be embedded in that region.
I long complained about Cooley wasting his time in the Carolinas recruiting, as that is clearly ACC territory, but with the emergence of NIL, recruiting and geographic allegiances have become secondary to financial commitments made by schools.
Nesmith is every bit of his measured 6’5 frame. If anything, he appears to play a bit longer and taller than the listed 6’5. He grew up playing point guard, and you can see that with his handle.
Offensively, he can knock down the deep ball and has a smooth mid-range game. His length allows him to finish at and above the rim, and I particularly like that he has a floater in his arsenal when he gets into the paint. He is a true three level scorer.
At the risk of inflating his stock to unfair levels, I do see shades of Dybanasta in his game in that he is a big bodied wing that can manipulate the defense to get to where he wants on the court on offense. He’s methodical in his approach to offense.
Nesmith plays for the prestigious Nightrydas Elite AAU Team. That club has some pretty famous alums: Boozer twins, Caleb Wilson, and Scottie Barnes, to name a few. If you can play for this squad, chances are you are going to be playing high level college basketball. Nesmith is playing alongside a slew of elite recruits on this AAU team. One the Friars should be familiar with is big man Lewis Uvwo, who the Friars have offered.
Having a familiar face in Clyde Walters on the Providence roster will be beneficial in this recruitment, but I get the sense this recruitment has a few more chapters in it. Nesmith has blown up on the AAU scene and in select invite camps, like the NBPA Top 100 camp. Hodgson getting him to visit merely two weeks after an offer is a good start, and a successful season in Providence will bolster the chances for the Friars to score an upset on the recruiting trail by landing Nesmith.
Success this season by Dink Pate, Devin Vanterpool, and Ryan Mela will help Hodgson sell the vision on how he can develop wings at the collegiate level. I do think the scoring guards and wings are the strength of this 2026-2027 roster for Providence, and they will be showcased in a positive light.
Stay tuned in to The Providence Crier for updates on 2027 and 2028 recruiting, as well as all things Providence Friar basketball.
Go Friars!