The Florida Gators had one of their best seasons in recent years, racking up 24 wins and just 12 losses under second-year head coach Todd Golden. The total marked an improvement of 8 wins over Golden’s first year with the Gators.
Additionally, those 24 wins are the most since the 2016-17 Elite 8 team that finished with 27 total wins.
However, nature must take its course and players leave annually through graduation, the Draft or, nowadays, the transfer portal. Here’s a look at where the Gators are currently shaping up heading into next season.
Who is outside?
For the Gators, their biggest losses this offseason were starting point guard Zyon Pullin and starting forward/center Tyrese Samuel. Both left the program due to exhausting the remaining years of eligibility.
Additionally, their depth on the wing took a hit when sophomore Riley Kugel announced his intention to transfer and eventually found a home with the Mississippi State Bulldogs.
Another player, Alex Szymczyk, entered the transfer portal but did not play at all last season due to injury.
Finally, the Gators are still awaiting decisions on two other key contributors from last season. Walter Clayton Jr. and Will Richard have yet to announce their return to school after testing the NBA waters this year.
Their decisions to return or remain in the draft should be made public within the next week, as the deadline to withdraw from the NBA Draft is next Wednesday, May 29.
Florida will need both players to return if they plan to maintain the preseason hype around the program. His return seems the most likely scenario currently.
Players finding a new home in Florida
The portal takes, the portal gives.
Now, more than ever, the transfer portal has served as a beacon of light for many college basketball coaches. This is how they build their teams so they can compete as quickly as possible.
So which players have found a new home in Florida and head coach Todd Golden?
Well, potentially the biggest grab of them all is 6-foot-2, 210-pound guard and former FAU Owl Alijah Martin. Martin was one of the leaders who helped guide a spectacular FAU team to the Final Four two years ago for the first time in school history.
He averaged 13.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.6 steals per game for the Owls last year.
While it may not be a comparable trade at the point guard position for Pullin, he still brings great experience, explosive athleticism and defense, something the Gators severely missed last season.
Also joining the Gators for next season is 6-foot-11, 245-pound big man Rueben Chinyelu, a transfer from Washington State.
Chinyelu is someone Golden was familiar with when trying to recruit him before ultimately signing with the Cougars in the 2023 recruiting cycle.
Playing in 35 games (12 starts) during his first season, he averaged 4.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game.
The final transfer, but also the first to sign with Florida, is 6-foot-9, 230-pound forward Sam Alexis. Alexis is originally from Apopka, FL, making him the third Florida native to come to the Gators under Golden through the portal.
The other two were Alex Fudge and Walter Clayton Jr.
Like the Gators’ other two transfers, Alexis brings a positive defensive presence that the Gators needed a season ago.
In his second season in Chattanooga, he finished the year averaging 10.8 points, 9.1 rebounds and an astonishing 2.1 blocks per game.
“He’s already proven to be a great finisher, rebounder and rim protector, and we expect him to continue to expand his game on the offensive end,” Golden said after announcing Alexis’ addition to the roster.
These three, as of now, appear to be the only additions through the portal.
The Gators’ other newcomers are freshmen Isaiah Brown and Olivier Rioux.
Both played their high school baseball in the state of Florida and ranked as three-star prospects in the 2024 cycle according to 247 Sports.
Therefore, it’s safe to say that Golden and company have been hard at work replacing and restructuring the Gators roster for next season. If Clayton and Richard return, expectations for the Gators basketball team should be as high as they have been in years.
Keynote USA
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