Gavin Placide
"-‘26 | 6’11 W/F|"
Wake Forest
Rankings sourced from 247Sports, ESPN, On3, and Rivals. Learn how we aggregate data →
Scout Report
When a Denver kid relocates to Texas and immediately finds himself surrounded by four-star talent, you know there's something special brewing. Faith Family Academy has turned into a recruiting goldmine, and their 6-9 anchor is a big reason why college coaches are making regular pilgrimages to Oak Cliff.
Background
Gavin Placide made the move from Denver to Dallas for his high school career, landing at Faith Family Academy where he's become the defensive foundation for one of the most loaded prep rosters in the country. Playing alongside future stars like Xavier Young and King Grace has accelerated his development in ways that staying home never could have. The Colorado native has embraced the grind of high-level prep basketball, where every practice feels like a college workout and every game is scouted heavily. Faith Family's program has a track record of developing big men for major college programs, and Placide has bought into their system completely.
Playing Style
Placide anchors everything Faith Family does defensively, using his 6-9 frame and instincts to protect the rim and communicate switches across the back line. He's not flashy, but he's incredibly effective at altering shots and cleaning up defensive breakdowns from his teammates. His offensive game is still developing, but he's shown flashes of being able to step out and knock down mid-range jumpers while also finishing around the basket in traffic. What separates him from other big men is his basketball IQ and willingness to do the dirty work that doesn't always show up in box scores. He rebounds in traffic, sets solid screens, and makes the right pass when doubled in the post. Playing with so much talent around him has forced him to be selective with his touches, but when he gets opportunities, he's efficient and rarely forces bad shots.
Strengths
His defensive instincts and rim protection ability are already college-ready, with the size and positioning to be an immediate impact player in that area. Placide has excellent hands and rarely turns the ball over, showing the kind of reliability that coaches trust in high-pressure situations. His basketball IQ jumps off the tape - he knows when to help, when to stay home, and how to use his length to disrupt passing lanes without gambling. The fact that he's thriving while playing alongside other highly-ranked recruits shows his maturity and understanding of how to play within a system rather than trying to dominate the ball.
Areas to Watch
His offensive skill set needs continued development, particularly his ability to create his own shot in the post and extend his range consistently to the three-point line. Adding more explosiveness around the rim and improving his first step would help him become more of a dual-threat rather than primarily a defensive specialist. The physical development is still ongoing - he could benefit from adding functional strength to better handle contact in college.
Player Comparison
He reminds me of a young Alondes Williams in terms of his defensive instincts and high basketball IQ, though obviously at a different position. Like Williams, Placide impacts winning in ways that don't always jump off the stat sheet but are immediately apparent to coaches. His combination of size, smarts, and defensive ability gives him a similar floor as a player who will contribute meaningfully at the college level.
Recruitment
Placide committed to Wake Forest after building an impressive offer list that includes Kansas, NC State, LSU, and Florida State, among others. The Demon Deacons were able to close the deal despite late pushes from some major programs, likely selling him on immediate playing time and their track record with developing big men. Wake Forest beat out some serious competition, particularly Kansas, which offered just three weeks before his commitment. His early commitment should help stabilize Wake Forest's 2026 class and gives them a defensive anchor to build around.
Projection
At Wake Forest, Placide projects as a player who could earn rotation minutes as a freshman purely based on his defensive impact and reliability. His ceiling depends on how much his offensive game develops, but his floor is that of a solid role player who can anchor a defense and contribute in limited minutes. If the offensive skills continue developing, he could develop into a starting-caliber ACC big man by his junior or senior seasons.
Updated Apr 30, 2026 · Analysis by PrepRadar Scouting Team
Career Journey
Wake Forest
COLLEGE
Faith Family Academy of Oak Cliff
PREP SCHOOL
Houston Hoops
AAU
Career Highlights
Offers
9
Wake Forest
Committed
Chose Wake Forest over 8 other offers
NC State
LSU
Mississippi State
Cal
Florida StateOffers sourced from 247Sports and social media monitoring.
Social Activity
Can officially say: Welcome to DEACTOWN, Gavin 🎩 ✍️ http://deacs.info/3LGuHLj https://x.com/WakeMBB/status/1990520563920773211/photo/1
Per @on3/@Rivals, @WakeMBB’s 2026 recruiting class is currently rated No. 8 overall 👀 6’10 Gavin Placide | No. 34 nationally 6’10 Gallagher Placide | No. 67 nationally 6’3 Quentin Coleman | No. 78 nationally https://t.co/KqBADJ0wuZ
NEWS: 2026 4⭐️ prospects Gavin and Gallagher Placide have committed to Wake Forest, sources told @LeagueRDY. Two huge additions for the Demon Deacons as they pickup two highly productive prospects with tremendous upside. They chose Wake Forest over Kansas, Florida State, LSU, https://t.co/nQME9cKIQx
𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗦: The Placide Twins have committed to #WakeForest on the CBS College Basketball YouTube Channel. With both brothers locked in, the Demon Deacons have landed the No. 50 and No. 78 overall recruits in the national 2026 class. 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗 https://t.co/BQ3UoWztdY https://t.co/BB0oeEpE8Q
𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗦: The Placide Twins are set to announce their college decisions live on the CBS College Basketball YouTube Channel on September 18th, at 3:45 p.m. ET. Finalists: Florida State, LSU, Kansas, Mississippi State, NC State, and Wake Forest. 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗 https://t.co/UBj1z7JgQF https://t.co/SwQTSWyVcK