MOBILE, Ala. – University of South Alabama men's basketball coach Matthew Graves has announced Joe Thompson and A.J. Caldwell have signed National Letters of Intent and will join the program for the 2017-18 season.

Thompson is a 6-foot-8 forward out of Bonnabel High School in Kenner, La., and Caldwell is a 6-foot-5 guard from Riverview High School in Sarasota, Fla.

"I think Joe and A.J. signing with us makes a tremendous statement about where we are headed as a program," Graves said. "Joe and A.J. were two of a handful of guys that we had on our big board. That we were able to go out and sign them says a lot about the work that our staff put in in evaluating and cultivating relationships. Coach (Darnell) Archey did a great job with A.J. and Coach (Brock) Morris did a fantastic job getting another New Orleans kid – our third on the roster – in Joe.

As a junior, Thompson averaged 21.2 points, 10 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game for the Bruins, and was named first team all-district by the Times Picayune, first team all-New Orleans Metro and first team all-state. Prior to his senior year, Thompson was tabbed to the Preseason 5A Player of the Year Watchlist by Prep Hoops Louisiana.

247Sports.com has Thompson as the fifth-ranked player in Louisiana and a three-star prospect.

"Joe is going to bring versatility, athleticism and size to our roster," Graves said. "I really see him being able to play both the '3' and the '4' for us in the future. At 6-foot-8, he can really move and defend on the perimeter, but at the same time, he has the ability to post up and make plays against smaller guards. His versatility continues to add depth to our roster."

Caldwell started four seasons and was a three-time team captain for RHS, has scored over 1,700 points in his career and is on pace to become the Rams' all-time leading scorer.

ESPN ranks Caldwell as a three-star prospect, the 50th-ranked guard in the nation and a top-20 recruit in the state of Florida. Scout.com and Rivals.com list Caldwell as the No. 1 shooter in Florida.

Last season he earned first team all-area and second team all-state honors, while leading the Rams to a Class 8A state runner-up finish. Riverview's combined record over the last three seasons is 71-15.

"A.J. is billed as a shooter – and he is more than capable of being an outstanding 3-pointer shooter – but what I like about him is he is more than that," Graves said. "He is a guy that can play off the bounce, has an exceptionally high IQ, and he understands how to play the game of basketball. He'll enhance our ability to stretch the floor and give us another player that is capable of scoring on the wing."

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