Four-star forward Coleman talks recent visits, including a trip to UVa

A busy summer turned into a busy fall for four-star 2020 forward Henry Coleman and the Richmond native decided that perhaps pulling back on the recruiting process was the right call. In fact, that's why he's now looking to hold off on making a college decision until next fall.

Coleman, a 6-foot-7 forward who ranks No. 44 overall in the Rivals150, told CavsCorner this week about not only the slew of unofficial visits that he's take the past month or so but also about the time he spent on Grounds this past weekend.

"Well I've visited West Virginia, Maryland, NC State, Pittsburgh, UVa, and Virginia Tech," he said, "and I really just did all those just to get a base of like what the schools are like and what everybody was recruiting me as, where I could fit in. It'll help me when I take my official visits for the spring and see which ones I really want to go to."

If it's somewhat surprising to hear that he's now planning to make a decision down the road rather than on the heels of his fall visits, that's in large part because of a decision Coleman and his family made after numerous conversations about the process.

"I have definitely pulled back a little bit," Coleman explained. "I'll probably be making my decision around September, October of next year. I just didn't want as much stress and wanted to calm everything down for a little bit. So, yeah, I plan on doing that and probably take my official visits during the spring and maybe some in the fall of next year."

Things, he added, had gotten hectic and with so many good options on the table and with the complexities of recruiting in this day and age, it was the right call for him to slow things down.

"Definitely that," he said. "I just wanted to take my time and really see everything through. There are always a lot of coaching changes and things like that and I don't want to be part of those 700 transfers each year. I want to go to a college that really fits me and to do that I just thought I would have to see everything fully through. That's what I plan on doing."

With a mother who is not only a huge (and vocal) UVa fan but also an alum, Coleman is no stranger to Charlottesville. Being back this weekend felt different, though.

"I think it felt different because UVa made me a priority," he said, "and they showed me that they really, really wanted me. They showed me in detail how I could be put into their system and how I could really help take the program to another level and how I could really do well there."

Between the Blue-White Scrimmage as well as the football game that evening, it was a long day for Coleman and his family but one that everyone thoroughly enjoyed.

"I got there about 12:30, talked to Coach (Jason) Williford and Coach (Tony) Bennett for a little bit," he recalled. "Then I went and watched the game, the Blue versus White game. I sat down and got to really see how they were playing in their system and I really liked that a lot. I liked how they used (De'Andre) Hunter a lot. Then after that we talked, got a little bit to eat, and then went to the football game."

Sometimes on visits players will sit and talk to Bennett while other times, the staff will provide cutups of film showing how a player fits into what Bennett wants to see on the floor from his team.

"I actually did both," Coleman said. "We talked a little bit, just general things, then we watched a little bit of film and I saw how I could be put in their system and how I could make it better. We also looked at some things I could probably improve, which was actually really good I think because they took the time to watch my film, see what I could be better at, see what I could do, and what I need to improve on."

"It was a great visit," he added. "He definitely wants me there but he wasn't going too hard because he understands where I'm at. It was a great visit for sure."

Getting to see the football game that night and to feel the energy in Scott Stadium was also a highlight of his trip.

"Well, I'm a big football guy with my dad playing and stuff," Coleman said. "I've always enjoyed football maybe as much as I've enjoyed watching basketball. But it shows how the fans were and how dedicated they are. The fans, they really just supported Virginia, never got down or thought that they would lose. They were going at it and they were very happy and thought they were winning and the end result was good. So that was really good to see how cheerful and stuff they were."

During his time with UVa's coaches, they made it very clear to Coleman how he would fit in.

"They've said it would be more like De'Andre Hunter or Anthony Gill," he said. "They were the two guys that they really compare me to. They said I could be that stretch 4 or play the 3. I can pop off ball screens, roll up ball screens, and I can also come off the ball screens. So that was really, really good and that's why I was looking forward to seeing."

Another highlight was watching Mamadi Diakite, someone Coleman has known for a long time, really shine during the scrimmage.

"I watched him when I was on (Team) Loaded when I was younger," Coleman said. "He was one guy that I looked up to. He played very well and he could just really run the floor. Just to see a guy that you kind of looked up to playing at a very high level, it's a good experience."

Coleman, who not only has a mother who loves Virginia but has a father who played football at Virginia Tech, is really enjoying his recruitment at the advice of his parents.

"They just want me to stay humble," he said. "That's probably the biggest thing because a lot of people when they get these things and get all this attention, they get big heads but with them, they're just telling me to stay humble. And honestly, they just want me to enjoy the process because it's a once-in-a-lifetime kind of thing and I've been doing that."

He also admitted that despite being a huge fan, his mother isn't pushing him.

"Not at all," Coleman said with a laugh."She does a great job. I think she just wants me to go to a school where I'm happy and whether that's her school or another school throughout the country, she just wants me to go where I'm happy."

As he shuts down the visit schedule and begins to focus on the upcoming season, Coleman said that he's learned a great deal from all of the unofficial visits he's taken in such a short amount of time.

"Definitely the schools that are making you a priority and then the ones that really aren't," Coleman said when asked what's stood out, "because some schools you can really just tell which ones really, really want you and you can tell the ones that would just like if you went there. I think that has stood out the most. That's honestly helped me and that's why I went on these unofficials, to really see what schools really wanted you and where you would fit in and have the best impact."

JOIN CAVSCORNER TODAY!

If you are not already a member of CavsCorner, come join us and see what all of the buzz is about.

Click HERE to subscribe and get all of the latest news and join hundreds of other UVa fans in talking about Cavalier football, basketball, and recruiting. You won't be disappointed!