FAIRFAX, Va. - George Mason University men's basketball head coach Dave Paulsen has announced that student-athletes TJ Gadsden and Mike Gray have signed national letters of intent to compete for the Patriots, beginning in 2021-22. 
 
Gadsden, a 6-foot-7 wing, hails from New York, N.Y. and competes for St. Andrew's Episcopal in Potomac, Md. 
 
Gray, a 6-foot-2-inch guard, is a native of Fredericksburg, Va., and plays at the Blue Ridge School.  
 
"These two players are the type of young men we want in our program – excellent students, great citizens and high-character guys," Paulsen said. "They're the latest in a growing list of players we've been able to successfully recruit within an hour radius of our campus. That speaks to the attractiveness of Mason as a university and our status as a rising program in the A-10." 
 
Gadsden has played his entire high school career in the DMV region, starting with two seasons at Bishop O'Connell at Arlington, where he garnered All-ECAC honors in one of the nation's premier basketball conferences.  
 
At St. Andrew's as a junior in 2019-20, Gadsden averaged 11 points and seven rebounds per contest while helping the program put together one of its best seasons in school history. Under head coach Kevin Jones, the Lions achieved a top-5 ranking in the final Washington Post top-20 of the season and won their first Mid-Atlantic Conference title since 2015.  
 
"We're excited about the addition of TJ," Paulsen said. "He's another versatile, athletic and dynamic big wing, and that type of player is so important for success in the A-10. He's an excellent shooter and a tremendous athlete." 
 
Gadsden plays his AAU ball for Team Durant under Osman Bangura. The New York native currently resides in Fairfax.  
 
"TJ has the ability to shoot the ball from deep and really get out in transition," Paulsen said. "He's an excellent rebounder and we think he'll be able to guard multiple positions on the floor with his size, his length and his athleticism. As we continue to try and climb up the ranks in the A-10, his skill set can really impact the game on the offensive glass, defensive glass and in our defensive packages. He's an impressive all-around player." 
 
Gray has starred for a pair of seasons at Blue Ridge under head coach Cade Lemcke, where he's led the Barons to two VISAA state titles. In 2020, Gray earned VISAA and Central Virginia Player of the Year accolades after averaging 14.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists per contest. In this season's state championship win over Norfolk Collegiate, he led Blue Ridge with 20 points in the victory. 
 
"Mike is an old school guard," Paulsen said. "He's tough, competitive and highly skilled. He's capable of playing either guard position and has an excellent basketball IQ." 
 
Gray also plays for AAU program Team Loaded under head coach Ty White, and led his team to an adidas championship. 
 
"In addition to his outstanding vision on the floor, Mike has the ability to score in a variety of ways, whether from three, at the rim or with his pull up game," Paulsen said. "He has a winning spirit and is a true leader. With his grit and toughness, he'll fit into the mold of some of the dynamic guards we've had here in the past."