Carte'Are Gordon to Saint Louis: Billikens Land 4-Star PF Prospect

Prized power forward recruit Carte'Are Gordon will be playing college basketball for the Saint Louis Billikens starting with the 2018 season. 

Gordon announced his decision on Twitter:

In addition to announcing his decision on Twitter, Gordon told ESPN's Jeff Goodman and Jeff Borzello more about why he opted to play for Saint Louis. 

"There were a lot of reasons why I chose Saint Louis, but more than anything I just felt it was the best fit for me," Gordon said. "Staying home will help me a lot."

Gordon added his relationship with Billikens head coach Travis Ford and assistant coach Corey Tate were key factors in his decision. 

"Coach Ford and (assistant) Corey Tate were also huge reasons why I want to play at Saint Louis," Gordon said. "Coach Tate is a close family friend and he's a great mentor."

The addition of Gordon is a huge coup for Saint Louis in the 2018 recruiting rankings. He is a 4-star prospect rated as the No. 5 player at his position and No. 41 player overall, per Scout. 

Ford didn't have to go far to secure Gordon's services. The 6'8" standout is from Saint Louis, where he plays high school basketball at Webster Groves. 

Per Evan Daniels of Scout, MOKAN Elite program director Matt Suther described Gordon as a multi-dimensional talent. 

"He has a great motor and plays physical," Suther said. "He can handle it, is good passer and is great defender."

The Billikens are rapidly becoming one of the nation's dominant recruiting schools. Ford, who had success at Massachusetts and Oklahoma State, is already having a profound impact on the program in the seven months since he was hired. 

Jordan Goodwin, who is rated as the No. 52 prospect in 2017 by Scout, already committed to Saint Louis for next season. 

Gordon gets to stay home and join a program that is on the verge of making a strong comeback after missing the NCAA tournament each of the last two seasons.