MELBOURNE, Fla. – Florida Tech head coach Billy Mims has announced the addition of Sam Grant for the 2021 men's basketball signing class. 
 
Grant, a 6-8 and 200-pound stretch 4-wing forward, makes his way to Melbourne, Florida following a successful prep career across the pond The Wellingborough, England native played for John Madejski Academy (JMA) in the Elite Academy Basketball League (EABL). He averaged 19 points and eight rebounds per game while shooting 63% from the field, 50% beyond the arc and 83% at the charity stripe during the 2021 season. 
 
"I'm extremely happy to join the Panthers for the next four years," said Grant. "The main reason I picked Florida Tech was because of Coach Mims. I feel he can help me reach my end goal of playing professional basketball. He has already coached at that level in Europe and knows what it takes to play at that level. Additionally, I chose Florida Tech because I didn't want to miss the opportunity of getting a degree from one of the top universities in the United States."
 
While being a premier player for JMA, Grant has also played three seasons with the Reading Rockets of England's National Basketball League Division 1(NBL1), including starting 13 of 20 games in 2021. He averaged nine points and five rebounds per game while shooting 48% from the field this past season. 
 
Additionally, Grant brings significant international experience to the Panther roster, having been a member of the England U15 National Team as well as Great Britain's U16, U18 and U20 National Teams. In 2019, he was selected to the All-Star 5 at the Cherbourg International U18 Tournament.
 
Grant has been recognized for his impressive play over the years with selections to the 2019 Luol Deng Camp Top 50 List and the 2021 Hoops Fix All-Star Classic. 
 
"I've been following Sam for several years now and have watched his development from an England U15 player right up to the NBL1 National Men's League," said Mims. "Sam's ability to stretch the floor and consistently shoot the three have always impressed me. His athleticism and strength have continued to improve and playing against men has made him tougher both mentally and physically. He's a very mobile player for his size and runs the floor extremely well. 
 
"Sam has played under Alan Keane for the past three years (with Reading), who has a ton of experience developing international talent. Under Alan, I have seen Sam's confidence, maturity, and basketball IQ soar. Sam will be a great fit in our system, and I'm looking forward to seeing him in a Panther uniform this season."
 
"We are delighted to see Sam take the next steps in his exciting basketball career and even more so with Florida Tech and Coach Billy Mims," stated Keane, who also serves as head coach of the Great Britain and England U20 National Team. "In his three years at Reading Rockets, Sam has gone from strength to strength with all areas of his game. We know and trust Coach Mims will continue that journey with Sam helping him be the best player and man he can be. 
 
"Coach Mims has been a big advocate of the international game for a long time, and we believe Florida Tech is the best possible place for Sam to get a world class education and help prepare him to be a professional player in four years. We at Reading Rockets want to make a special thanks for Coach Mims and Florida Tech for supporting Sam, giving him this incredible opportunity and helping us navigate the right journey for Sam and his next steps. Florida Tech you now have a strong fan base in the South of sunny England." 

Grant is set to join Florida Tech in August following the conclusion of the NBL1 season. He is looking forward to competing alongside two other accomplished Great Britain born players, who have been featured players the past few seasons for the Crimson & Gray in Sesan Russell and Niall Harris. 
 
"I know and respect Sesan Russell and Niall Harris and I can't wait to join them and the rest of my new teammates at Florida Tech and bringing a hard-working mentality to the court and the classroom next season!" 
 
For the latest news, updates and information on the Florida Tech men's basketball team, visit FloridaTechSports.com. Fans can also stay up to date on the latest Panthers news by following Florida Tech Athletics on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.