If you can't keep up and need spoon feeding, then call yo-mama....
2024-25 Basketball,,, all things considered...
- Thread starter instaGATOR
- Start date
What does the 2024-25 Basketball Roster look like today?
13 Ships with 4 WO's
22 PG Bennett Andersen 6-2 190 Grad-Sr - Tampa, FL - WO
11 PG Denzel Aberdeen 6-5 195 Jr - Orlando, FL
30 PG Kajus Kublickas 6-2 175 So - Kaunas, Lithuania
7 PG Urban Klavar 6-1 190 Fr - Donzale, Slovenia
-----
1 CG Walter Clayton Jr 6-3 195 Sr - Iona xfer - Lake Wales, FL (17.6 PPG)
33 CG Cooper Josefsberg 6-4 195 So - Miami, FL - WO
2 CG Kevin Pazmino 6-4 195 So - SFC xfer - Weston, FL - WO
-----
15 SG Alijah Martin 6-2 210 Grad-Sr - FAU xfer - Summit, MS
20 SG Isaiah Brown 6-4 200 Fr - Orlando, FL
-----
5 SG/SF Will Richard 6-4 206 Sr - Belmont xfer - Fairburn, GA (11.4 PPG)
>>> Both / Either up for the 6th Man Award
10 SF/PF Thomas haugh 6-9 210 So - New Oxford, PA
-----
4 PF Sam Alexis 6-8 240 Jr - Chattanooga xfer - Apopka, FL
21 PF/C Alex Condon 6-11 230 So - Perth Australia
-----
3 C Micah Handlogten 7-1 235 Jr - Marshall xfer - Lake Norman, N.C.(injured & rehabbing for 2024)
9 C/PF Rueben Chinyelu 6-10 255 So - WashSt xfer - Enugwu-Agidi, Nigeria
12 C Viktor Mikic 6-11 240 Fr - Beograd, Serbia
32 C Olivier Rioux 7-9 305 Fr - Terrebonne, Quebec - WO
=====
I'm expecting to see 9-10 in the rotation for most games....
Fall Practice begins on Tuesday Sept 24th.
The '24-25 season opens Nov. 4 against USF at neutral site Jacksonville.
The starters are likely to vary across the season.
All but the two summer July/Aug arrivals have been in the Hugh Hathcock
Basketball Complex the last 5 months building chemistry with their new teammates.
There will be competition among some mostly inexperienced players for limited-minute
roles on the back of what figures to be a rotation of (says Golden's track record) 9 players
by the time SEC season comes around.
Defensive Court Monsters:
Alijah Martin - Alex Condon - Thomas Haugh - Rueben Chinyelu
News and Harry Fodder Role Predictions:
PG Walter Clayton Jr
SG Alijah Martin
SF Will Richard
PF Alex Condon
C Rueben Chinyelu
6th Man PG Denzel Aberdeen (the iG's 2025-26 starting PG)
7th Man SF/PF Thomas Haugh (the #1 motor man)
8th Man PF Sam Alexis (best overall physically)
9th Man up for grabs as Fall practice begins....
floridagators.com
13 Ships with 4 WO's
22 PG Bennett Andersen 6-2 190 Grad-Sr - Tampa, FL - WO
11 PG Denzel Aberdeen 6-5 195 Jr - Orlando, FL
30 PG Kajus Kublickas 6-2 175 So - Kaunas, Lithuania
7 PG Urban Klavar 6-1 190 Fr - Donzale, Slovenia
-----
1 CG Walter Clayton Jr 6-3 195 Sr - Iona xfer - Lake Wales, FL (17.6 PPG)
33 CG Cooper Josefsberg 6-4 195 So - Miami, FL - WO
2 CG Kevin Pazmino 6-4 195 So - SFC xfer - Weston, FL - WO
-----
15 SG Alijah Martin 6-2 210 Grad-Sr - FAU xfer - Summit, MS
20 SG Isaiah Brown 6-4 200 Fr - Orlando, FL
-----
5 SG/SF Will Richard 6-4 206 Sr - Belmont xfer - Fairburn, GA (11.4 PPG)
>>> Both / Either up for the 6th Man Award
10 SF/PF Thomas haugh 6-9 210 So - New Oxford, PA
-----
4 PF Sam Alexis 6-8 240 Jr - Chattanooga xfer - Apopka, FL
21 PF/C Alex Condon 6-11 230 So - Perth Australia
-----
3 C Micah Handlogten 7-1 235 Jr - Marshall xfer - Lake Norman, N.C.(injured & rehabbing for 2024)
9 C/PF Rueben Chinyelu 6-10 255 So - WashSt xfer - Enugwu-Agidi, Nigeria
12 C Viktor Mikic 6-11 240 Fr - Beograd, Serbia
32 C Olivier Rioux 7-9 305 Fr - Terrebonne, Quebec - WO
=====
I'm expecting to see 9-10 in the rotation for most games....
Fall Practice begins on Tuesday Sept 24th.
The '24-25 season opens Nov. 4 against USF at neutral site Jacksonville.
The starters are likely to vary across the season.
All but the two summer July/Aug arrivals have been in the Hugh Hathcock
Basketball Complex the last 5 months building chemistry with their new teammates.
There will be competition among some mostly inexperienced players for limited-minute
roles on the back of what figures to be a rotation of (says Golden's track record) 9 players
by the time SEC season comes around.
Defensive Court Monsters:
Alijah Martin - Alex Condon - Thomas Haugh - Rueben Chinyelu
News and Harry Fodder Role Predictions:
PG Walter Clayton Jr
SG Alijah Martin
SF Will Richard
PF Alex Condon
C Rueben Chinyelu
6th Man PG Denzel Aberdeen (the iG's 2025-26 starting PG)
7th Man SF/PF Thomas Haugh (the #1 motor man)
8th Man PF Sam Alexis (best overall physically)
9th Man up for grabs as Fall practice begins....
Harry Fodder: 2024-25 Preseason Basketball Primer - Florida Gators
With fall practice tipping off next week, time for our annual overview of the upcoming season's men's basketball roster (and some role projections) as Coach Todd
floridagators.com
Last edited:
The 2025 Recruit commits for 2025:
In July, he began ranked No. 254. However, by the end of the month, he moved all the way up to No. 73 in the rankings and now has risen up into the top-40 in the country for the 2025 cycle. Wing CJ Ingram is now approaching five-star status.
In addition to Ingram, the Gators also hold a verbal commitment from combo guard Alex Lloyd. Lloyd dropped two spots in the recent update, but is still highly ranked. He comes in at No. 42 on 247 Sports rankings.
With these two in the fold for the Gators, their 2025 class is the 9th-best class in the country, and it still has the potential to rise before the cycle ends. The Gators are still on the hunt to add more top prospects to the class including five-star twins Cameron Boozer (No. 2 in Top247) and Cayden Boozer (No. 21 in Top247). -- The iG is reallly hoping to put the icing with a cherry on top in the coming class....
IF those 4 made up the 2025 recruit class, I could see then beinging the 2.0 of the 04's......
And could you see those 4 plus a 7-9 Center on the floor in a year or two...... 😲
www.si.com
In July, he began ranked No. 254. However, by the end of the month, he moved all the way up to No. 73 in the rankings and now has risen up into the top-40 in the country for the 2025 cycle. Wing CJ Ingram is now approaching five-star status.
In addition to Ingram, the Gators also hold a verbal commitment from combo guard Alex Lloyd. Lloyd dropped two spots in the recent update, but is still highly ranked. He comes in at No. 42 on 247 Sports rankings.
With these two in the fold for the Gators, their 2025 class is the 9th-best class in the country, and it still has the potential to rise before the cycle ends. The Gators are still on the hunt to add more top prospects to the class including five-star twins Cameron Boozer (No. 2 in Top247) and Cayden Boozer (No. 21 in Top247). -- The iG is reallly hoping to put the icing with a cherry on top in the coming class....
IF those 4 made up the 2025 recruit class, I could see then beinging the 2.0 of the 04's......
And could you see those 4 plus a 7-9 Center on the floor in a year or two...... 😲
Florida Gators Commit Continues to Soar Up Recruiting Rankings
CJ Ingram has seen his stock continue to rise after his commitment to the Florida Gators.
Last edited:
Brain FART! 😏
Thanks, and I fixed/deleted the 1st part of the post.
Now, how about the 2nd part? 🤓
I haven't followed the NBA but I thought Keyontae Johnson is playing for the Thunder.
ESPN’s Joe Lunardi updated his Men’s Bracketology: 2025 NCAA Tournament seeding on Tuesday and the Gators enter the new season as a 9-seed, which might come as a surprise to most due to how they performed last season and how they rebuilt their roster this offseason.
After a strong second year under Todd Golden and an offseason of improving the roster, the Florida Gators enter 2024 as a 9-seed in Joe Lunardi's Bracketology, but is this ranking too low?
The SEC teams included are:
1-seed Alabama,
2-seed Auburn,
4-seeds Tennessee & Arkansas,
5-seeds Texas A&M & Texas,
6-seed Kentucky,
7-seed Mississippi State
9-seeds Ole Miss & Florida.
Use the link for reasons for their rankings.
www.si.com
After a strong second year under Todd Golden and an offseason of improving the roster, the Florida Gators enter 2024 as a 9-seed in Joe Lunardi's Bracketology, but is this ranking too low?
The SEC teams included are:
1-seed Alabama,
2-seed Auburn,
4-seeds Tennessee & Arkansas,
5-seeds Texas A&M & Texas,
6-seed Kentucky,
7-seed Mississippi State
9-seeds Ole Miss & Florida.
Use the link for reasons for their rankings.
Reaction: Gators Enter Joe Lunardi's Bracketology as 9-Seed
After a strong second year under Todd Golden and improving the roster, the Florida Gators enter 2024 as a nine-seed in Joe Lunardi's Bracketology.
This is a really good article on the coming 2024-25 Team.
247sports.com
Everything Todd Golden to open preseason camp
The Gators are entering their third season under the direction of head coach Todd Golden
247sports.com
A great in-depth article. Thanks for posting.This is a really good article on the coming 2024-25 Team.
A
Everything Todd Golden to open preseason camp
The Gators are entering their third season under the direction of head coach Todd Golden
Got this from another Gator message board.
1. Clayton looks great. He is Florida's primary ball-handler. However, all of the reports talk about him scoring. He isn't playing SG. He is the PG. I want to know if he can get us set up. When he played PG last season, the offense was awful. This will be an unknown until the season starts.
2. Chinyelu has been a monster on defense. He is raw offensively, but we didn't sign him for his offense. There may be fouling issues. We will see.
3. Klavzar is getting adjusted. As expected, when he has to guard he is having a lot of trouble. Scoring isn't the problem. His defense is.
4. Martin is one of the leaders on the team. He is proving exceptional as expected.
5. Isaiah Brown plays like a junior according to Golden. I expect him to get minutes this season.
6. For those wondering about Handlogten, he is as active as can be without actually being able to practice. He is jogging without a limp.
7. The interviews I've seen with Golden are of a coach who knows he has a good team, at least on paper. We are 9 deep. If Klavzar gets adjusted it is 10 deep.
1. Clayton looks great. He is Florida's primary ball-handler. However, all of the reports talk about him scoring. He isn't playing SG. He is the PG. I want to know if he can get us set up. When he played PG last season, the offense was awful. This will be an unknown until the season starts.
2. Chinyelu has been a monster on defense. He is raw offensively, but we didn't sign him for his offense. There may be fouling issues. We will see.
3. Klavzar is getting adjusted. As expected, when he has to guard he is having a lot of trouble. Scoring isn't the problem. His defense is.
4. Martin is one of the leaders on the team. He is proving exceptional as expected.
5. Isaiah Brown plays like a junior according to Golden. I expect him to get minutes this season.
6. For those wondering about Handlogten, he is as active as can be without actually being able to practice. He is jogging without a limp.
7. The interviews I've seen with Golden are of a coach who knows he has a good team, at least on paper. We are 9 deep. If Klavzar gets adjusted it is 10 deep.
Golden says they will be using a committee when bringing the ball up the court instead of a dedicated PG like Zyon was. All of the guards will on occasion be acting as the PG doing the ball handling, at least to begin with.
Helping the guys in their last season improve their NBA stock, while still getting the younger guys ready for next season.
Changes to that will depend on the early season results by the committee.
As I was hoping, there is a chance for C Handlogten to return to play later in the season, if he's needed and if he wants to play instead of taking a redshirt. JMOHO, but it would be nice to not need him, as much as I'd enjoy seeing him play.
Freshmen SG Brown and the 20 year old Fr PG Urban Kavlar might be the surprise guys getting playing time, IF they continue to perform in games like they have in Fall practice so far. And even the 7-9 Fr walkon center might get a little late game playing time, just to get his feet wet so to speak.
Making the Dance is all but guaranteed this season, with hopefully a much deeper run than in 2023-24.....
Helping the guys in their last season improve their NBA stock, while still getting the younger guys ready for next season.
Changes to that will depend on the early season results by the committee.
As I was hoping, there is a chance for C Handlogten to return to play later in the season, if he's needed and if he wants to play instead of taking a redshirt. JMOHO, but it would be nice to not need him, as much as I'd enjoy seeing him play.
Freshmen SG Brown and the 20 year old Fr PG Urban Kavlar might be the surprise guys getting playing time, IF they continue to perform in games like they have in Fall practice so far. And even the 7-9 Fr walkon center might get a little late game playing time, just to get his feet wet so to speak.
Making the Dance is all but guaranteed this season, with hopefully a much deeper run than in 2023-24.....
The off-season TEAM building process continues...
floridagators.com
Gators Look to Build on Encouraging Offseason - Florida Gators
Coach Todd Golden's third UF team officially tipped off its 2024-25 preseason practice Tuesday.
floridagators.com
"He got that dog in him" - Getting to know a newbee:
FAU xfer-in SG Alijah Martin 6-2 215 - A 5th Yr Grad-Sr xfer-in from FAU
He is a 3X All Conf-USA selection and played in the 2023 Final-4.
He has a Mississippi prep resume as a 1st-team all-state selection in football, basketball and track. - Also youth soccer and baseball but had to par it back a little.
Reading the rest of his athletic background left me saying,,, JUS-DAMN! - iG
Note: FAU HC Dusty May is a recent former Gator/Mike White Ast. Coach, and he just left FAU for Mich.
In four seasons with the Owls, Martin scored 1,476 points, shot 37% from the 3-point line, dished 171 assists, grabbed 616 Rbs, and tallied 155 Stls. All that while unleashing a relentless brand of defense the Gators have sorely lacked of late.
>> Things that 50/50 SG Riley Kugel 6-5 207 (206 Rbs - 62 Stls in 2 seasons) provided to the team on a sometimes basis, (a drama pup, not a dog).....
In basketball, a "dog" believes loose balls are his property.
"In practice you compete and do everything you can against the guy across from you to make the team better. On game day, you have to kill the person in front of you and do whatever it takes — within the rules — to win."
"He's going to raise the level of defense for everybody," UF assistant coach and director of player development Taurean Green said. "Starting with that guy, right there!"
Green was pointing at All SEC CG Walter Clayton Jr..
"Everything he does, he goes hard, and does it with an edge to him," Clayton said.
Golden's 2nd UF team ranked 19th nationally in offensive efficiency but 94th on defense.
Another very good article here: >> Don't skip the vid!
"He got that dog in him" - Florida Gators
Grad-transfer guard Alijah Martin, who helped guide Florida Atlantic on a magical Final Four run two years, looks to be a difference-maker on both ends of the floor
floridagators.com
Well guys & gals, Nov. 4th is inching closer every day, so what's up wid-da newbees?
PG Kajus Kublickas Soph returns to the Florida Gators after participating in an international tournament, bringing valuable experience to the team. Kublickas spent the summer participating in the FIBA U20 EuroBasket, an international basketball tournament. He helped lead Lithuania to a 5-2 record and a fifth-place finish in the event. Kublickas averaged 11.3 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists during the tournament.
https://www.si.com/college/florida/...s-valuable-tournament-experience-01j9sjd84v8t
==========
Washington State transfer center Rueben Chinyelu hasn't played a game for the Florida Gators yet, but he's already feeling the pride of donning an orange and blue uniform. “Man there is no feeling like being a Gator, it's a big thing and I’m proud to be part of it,” he said to open his portion of Tuesday's media availability.
https://www.si.com/college/florida/no-feeling-like-being-a-gator-says-rueben-chinyelu-01j9t06h8y1v
==========
After losing Tyrese Samuel (graduation) and Micah Handlogten (injury) for the upcoming season, the Florida Gators will turn to a slew of transfers, including former Chattanooga PF/C Sam Alexis, to alleviate the losses. Last season, the Apopka, Florida native broke out averaging nearly 11 points a game with 9.1 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per contest while being named to the Southern Conference All-Defensive team and Third-Team All-Southern Conference.
"I feel like the coaches always say that the SEC is a tough league to play in, and I feel like Rueben fits that description. I feel like us battling every single day is going to get each other better," Alexis said. "He's a more physical big and I'm more finesse so he's going to have to guard some finesse bigs and I'm going to have to guard some physical bigs in the SEC so we're getting each other better."
https://www.si.com/college/florida/basketball/transfer--sam-alexis-alleviate-gators-rebounding-losses-01j9vf3qnxvh
PG Kajus Kublickas Soph returns to the Florida Gators after participating in an international tournament, bringing valuable experience to the team. Kublickas spent the summer participating in the FIBA U20 EuroBasket, an international basketball tournament. He helped lead Lithuania to a 5-2 record and a fifth-place finish in the event. Kublickas averaged 11.3 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists during the tournament.
https://www.si.com/college/florida/...s-valuable-tournament-experience-01j9sjd84v8t
==========
Washington State transfer center Rueben Chinyelu hasn't played a game for the Florida Gators yet, but he's already feeling the pride of donning an orange and blue uniform. “Man there is no feeling like being a Gator, it's a big thing and I’m proud to be part of it,” he said to open his portion of Tuesday's media availability.
https://www.si.com/college/florida/no-feeling-like-being-a-gator-says-rueben-chinyelu-01j9t06h8y1v
==========
After losing Tyrese Samuel (graduation) and Micah Handlogten (injury) for the upcoming season, the Florida Gators will turn to a slew of transfers, including former Chattanooga PF/C Sam Alexis, to alleviate the losses. Last season, the Apopka, Florida native broke out averaging nearly 11 points a game with 9.1 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per contest while being named to the Southern Conference All-Defensive team and Third-Team All-Southern Conference.
"I feel like the coaches always say that the SEC is a tough league to play in, and I feel like Rueben fits that description. I feel like us battling every single day is going to get each other better," Alexis said. "He's a more physical big and I'm more finesse so he's going to have to guard some finesse bigs and I'm going to have to guard some physical bigs in the SEC so we're getting each other better."
https://www.si.com/college/florida/basketball/transfer--sam-alexis-alleviate-gators-rebounding-losses-01j9vf3qnxvh
Last edited:
Pretty interesting mix of players. Seems like all the components are there, Golden just has to find the right mix. I thought losing Handlogten late last year really hurt our defense. So I'll be interested to see how Alexis and Chinyelu play on that end.
Center
3 Micah Handlogten 7-1 235 Jr - N.C. rehabbing injury, return date unknown
9 Rueben Chinyelu - 6-10 255 So - WashSt xfer-in - Nigeria
12 Viktor Mikic ------ 6-11 240 Fr - Serbia
32 Olivier Rioux ----- 7-9 305 Fr - IMG - Canada - WO
Power Forward / Center
4 Sam Alexis ------- 6-8 240 Jr - Chattanooga xfer-in - FL
21 Alex Condon ---- 6-11 230 So - Australia
10 Thomas Haugh - 6-9 210 So - PA
PG-SG-SF Multi-Position Group (per Gator Bio's)
15 Alijah Martin --------- 6-2 210 Grad-Sr - FAU xfer-in - MS
22 Bennett Andersen -- 6-2 190 Grad-Sr - FL - WO
1 Walter Clayton -------- 6-3 195 Sr - Iona xfer-in - FL
5 Will Richard ----------- 6-4 206 Sr - Belmont xfer-in - GA
11 Denzel Aberdeen ---- 6-5 190 Jr - FL
30 Kajus Kublickas ---- 6-2 175 So - Lithuania
33 Cooper Josefsberg - 6-4 195 So - FL - WO
2 Kevin Pazmino -------- 6-4 195 So - SFC xfer-in - FL - WO
20 Isaiah Brown -------- 6-4 200 Fr - FL
7 Urban Klavzar --------- 6-1 190 Fr - Slovenia
The IG's WaG on the Top 8 rotation are in italics....
Kublickas, Brown and Klavzar will battle for the #9-10-11 rotation spots....
And the 2 Fr centers will hopefully split some end of game minutes.
Team Trivia:
3 Other States
4 Walk-ons
6 International
7 Florida
3 Micah Handlogten 7-1 235 Jr - N.C. rehabbing injury, return date unknown
9 Rueben Chinyelu - 6-10 255 So - WashSt xfer-in - Nigeria
12 Viktor Mikic ------ 6-11 240 Fr - Serbia
32 Olivier Rioux ----- 7-9 305 Fr - IMG - Canada - WO
Power Forward / Center
4 Sam Alexis ------- 6-8 240 Jr - Chattanooga xfer-in - FL
21 Alex Condon ---- 6-11 230 So - Australia
10 Thomas Haugh - 6-9 210 So - PA
PG-SG-SF Multi-Position Group (per Gator Bio's)
15 Alijah Martin --------- 6-2 210 Grad-Sr - FAU xfer-in - MS
22 Bennett Andersen -- 6-2 190 Grad-Sr - FL - WO
1 Walter Clayton -------- 6-3 195 Sr - Iona xfer-in - FL
5 Will Richard ----------- 6-4 206 Sr - Belmont xfer-in - GA
11 Denzel Aberdeen ---- 6-5 190 Jr - FL
30 Kajus Kublickas ---- 6-2 175 So - Lithuania
33 Cooper Josefsberg - 6-4 195 So - FL - WO
2 Kevin Pazmino -------- 6-4 195 So - SFC xfer-in - FL - WO
20 Isaiah Brown -------- 6-4 200 Fr - FL
7 Urban Klavzar --------- 6-1 190 Fr - Slovenia
The IG's WaG on the Top 8 rotation are in italics....
Kublickas, Brown and Klavzar will battle for the #9-10-11 rotation spots....
And the 2 Fr centers will hopefully split some end of game minutes.
Team Trivia:
3 Other States
4 Walk-ons
6 International
7 Florida
Last edited:
We lost the Boozer twins to Puke. No surprise but we were high on their list.
Oh well...
Let's hope
Oh well...
Let's hope
Dukie was Daddy's school, so it would have been a bit of a surprise had they come to UF.
But maybe they just didn't like the look of the competition that they would have faced for playing time at UF?
I kinda like this PG better anyway. He has the size of one brother and the PG ability of the other.
Kinda like getting a 2 for 1 deal....
PG Alex Constanza, he's 6-8 barefoot..... 😳
Just landing the Boozer twins would have caused a serious meltdown among Kentucky fans and every other SEC rival fan.
B-Ball 2025 Recruits:
#9 CG Alex Lloyd 6-3 165 **** Natl. 42 - Hard Commit
#8 SF CJ Ingram 6-6 195 **** Natl. 36 - Hard Commit
#3 SF/PG Alex Constanza 6-8 207 ***** Natl. 11 -- (A HS PG but ranked now as a SF)
If Alex reclassifies from 2026 to 2025 and joins the class, I won't miss not getting the Boozer twins.....
Last edited:
I didn't click on the threads at the Wildcats lair but there were topics such as wanting Rick Pitino back.
Kinda like years after a split and an old ex is available.
UF vs USF in Jax on Nov 4th can't get here fast enough for me,,,
since football season is already over...... 🙄
since football season is already over...... 🙄
Florida basketball ranked No. 21 in preseason AP Top 25
e Gators won 24 games and reached the SEC Championship in 2023-24.For the first time since HC Mike White in 2019, Florida basketball made its way into the Associated Press Top-25 at No. 21, which is also the program's highest ranking since head coach Todd Golden took over the program in 2022-23.
Florida basketball ranked No. 21 in preseason AP Top 25
The Gators won 24 games and reached the SEC Championship in 2023-24
247sports.com
Florida senior guard Walter Clayton and sophomore forward Alex Condon earned preseason All-SEC first and third-team honors as selected by select SEC media and national college basketball reporters, respectively, the conference announced on Monday afternoon.
247sports.com
Florida guard Walter Clayton, forward Alex Condon earn preseason All-SEC honors
Walter Clayton and Alex Condon are entering their second season with the Gators in 2024-25
247sports.com
Having already secured two top commitments in the class of 2025, the Florida Gators will now be looking to add to their 2026 class as well. The Gators will be hosting a 4-star top-55 #8 PG prospect Neiko Mundey 6-3 165 in Gainesville on an unofficial visit this weekend, per Recruits Zone via X (formerly Twitter). He's a high level ball handler with a smooth game, long wing-span, explosive & finishes at the rim.
https://www.si.com/college/florida/top-2026-point-guard-recruit-visit-florida-gators-01ja8myv64y7
https://www.si.com/college/florida/top-2026-point-guard-recruit-visit-florida-gators-01ja8myv64y7
Florida men's basketball head coach Todd Golden, along with guards Walter Clayton Jr. and Alijah Martin, spent Tuesday in Birmingham, Alabama for 2024 SEC Media Days.
Here's everything Golden had to say:
247sports.com
Here's everything Golden had to say:
Everything Todd Golden said at SEC Media Days
Florida's head coach took the stage Tuesday to discuss the 2024-25 season
247sports.com
Getting pumped about basketball season. We look solid.
Golden said of his 2024-25 squad on Sept. 24.
"I think we're really mature."
"I think we play really hard."
"I think we're really unselfish."
"People who have been in our gym see the level of competitiveness on a day-to-day basis. I think we're really consistent that way. We have a lot of work to do, but the bones of our foundation are strong that way. We shoot the ball well. We're athletic, we run, we play hard. At the end of the day, as long as our guys compete I'll be OK to live with whatever happens, but we're off to a good start."
Those three things, specifically, are kind of the identity of this group.
=====
Here is the SEC predicted order of finish from SEC Media Daze:
1. Alabama
2. Auburn
3. Tennessee
4. Arkansas
5. Texas A&M
6. Florida
7. Texas
8. Kentucky
9. Ole Miss
10. Mississippi State
11. South Carolina
12. Georgia
13. Missouri
14. LSU
15. Oklahoma
16. Vanderbilt
247sports.com
"I think we're really mature."
"I think we play really hard."
"I think we're really unselfish."
"People who have been in our gym see the level of competitiveness on a day-to-day basis. I think we're really consistent that way. We have a lot of work to do, but the bones of our foundation are strong that way. We shoot the ball well. We're athletic, we run, we play hard. At the end of the day, as long as our guys compete I'll be OK to live with whatever happens, but we're off to a good start."
Those three things, specifically, are kind of the identity of this group.
=====
Here is the SEC predicted order of finish from SEC Media Daze:
1. Alabama
2. Auburn
3. Tennessee
4. Arkansas
5. Texas A&M
6. Florida
7. Texas
8. Kentucky
9. Ole Miss
10. Mississippi State
11. South Carolina
12. Georgia
13. Missouri
14. LSU
15. Oklahoma
16. Vanderbilt
Gators picked to finish sixth in preseason SEC Media Poll
The Gators were ranked in the preseason AP Top-25 for the first time since 2019
247sports.com
Golden is also looking for more international players such as Condon and Urban. Don't be surprised when we see more white boys on the court.
Center Rueben Chinyely 6-10 255 - Enugwu-Agidi, Nigeria
Rueben says hello gd3, and hold my beer..... 😉
I didn't necessarily mean starters. When UF had a safe lead near the end of the ball game, we were watching at least 4 white dudes on the court during garbage time.
gd3, I can't imagine where this 'color' line is going or why???
Projected 2-24-25 Starters:
C Rueben Chinyely -- Handlogten (if not in rehabbing injury) - Olivier Rioux
PF Alex Condon ------ Sam Alexis - Viktor Mikic
SF Will Richard ------- Thomas Haugh - Kevin Pazmino
SG Alijah Martin ------- Isaiah Brown - Urban Klavzar
PG Walter Clayton ---- Denzel Aberdeen - Kajus Kublickas
Looking at the rather large variance in skin tones among them seems a waste of time to me.
Trivia: The difference between the whitest white and the darkest white,,,,
Is greater than the difference between the average white and the average black.
But those facts miss the point entirely imo.
"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will
not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." MLK
* But the progressive/Marxists of today, organizations like BLM, only want to go on color,
while completely ignoring CHARACTER.
And here is one of my favorites from MLK that few know or remember:
“Rarely do we find men who willingly engage in hard, solid thinking.
There is an almost universal quest for easy answers and half-baked solutions.
Nothing pains some people more than having to think.”
Last edited:
And now back to Basketball.....
Keeping in mind that UF's first NC began with UF with a preseason #32 ranking.
They currently have a preseason #21 ranking with some 'Dark Horse' musings...
Ride-um Gatorboyz....
And while everyone out there usually goes with consensus favorites to win it all, some will go against the grain. They’ll opt for the dark horse candidates - Teams that aren’t being talked about in the national spotlight as much but boast a ton of attributes that championship teams have such as solid coaching and depth.
The Florida Gators fall into this "dark horse" category, or at least that's what NCAA digital reporter and analyst Andy Katz thinks. On Wednesday, Katz released his 10 Final Four dark horses for the upcoming men’s basketball season with the Gators being among the teams listed.
1-Ind, 2-Ark, 3-UK, 4-Rut, 5-Cre, 6-Az, 7-ILL, 8-tOSU, 9. FLORIDA, 10-Cinci
https://www.si.com/college/florida/basketball/florida-gators-dark-horse-candidate-01jab6wsa2gh
Keeping in mind that UF's first NC began with UF with a preseason #32 ranking.
They currently have a preseason #21 ranking with some 'Dark Horse' musings...
Ride-um Gatorboyz....
And while everyone out there usually goes with consensus favorites to win it all, some will go against the grain. They’ll opt for the dark horse candidates - Teams that aren’t being talked about in the national spotlight as much but boast a ton of attributes that championship teams have such as solid coaching and depth.
The Florida Gators fall into this "dark horse" category, or at least that's what NCAA digital reporter and analyst Andy Katz thinks. On Wednesday, Katz released his 10 Final Four dark horses for the upcoming men’s basketball season with the Gators being among the teams listed.
1-Ind, 2-Ark, 3-UK, 4-Rut, 5-Cre, 6-Az, 7-ILL, 8-tOSU, 9. FLORIDA, 10-Cinci
https://www.si.com/college/florida/basketball/florida-gators-dark-horse-candidate-01jab6wsa2gh
In other basketball news, Bennett either has health problems or his name is on the Epstein list.
www.espn.com
Bennett, who led Virginia to 2019 title, to retire
Tony Bennett, 55, posted a 364-136 record at Virginia, guiding the program to a national title in 2019 as well as two ACC tournament titles.
C Olivier Rioux 7-9 305 Fr with a size 20 shoe is a lot more than just tall....
He reached 6' at 11 years old, then with a growth spurt, he was 7' as a 12 year old.... 😲
He likes drawing. He likes to spend a lot of his free time outdoors. He's an overall nice guy, which he credits a lot of to his Canadian roots. He also wants to emphasize that his name isn't "Oliver" but "Olivier" (pronounced O-liv-ee-ay). He's also an extremely hard worker, as evidenced by his practice habits, where he says the work has been hard, but, like his height, he embraces it nonetheless.
Rioux is also more than just a dunker or a rebounder. In fact, when asked on Friday what were his biggest strengths, the first thing he said was his passing, in which he tries to emulate Magic Johnson. (iG really likes this kid's attitudes)
www.si.com
He reached 6' at 11 years old, then with a growth spurt, he was 7' as a 12 year old.... 😲
He likes drawing. He likes to spend a lot of his free time outdoors. He's an overall nice guy, which he credits a lot of to his Canadian roots. He also wants to emphasize that his name isn't "Oliver" but "Olivier" (pronounced O-liv-ee-ay). He's also an extremely hard worker, as evidenced by his practice habits, where he says the work has been hard, but, like his height, he embraces it nonetheless.
Rioux is also more than just a dunker or a rebounder. In fact, when asked on Friday what were his biggest strengths, the first thing he said was his passing, in which he tries to emulate Magic Johnson. (iG really likes this kid's attitudes)
Gators' Olivier Rioux Embracing Record-Breaking Height in New Scenery
Florida Gators freshman center Olivier Rioux may be the world's tallest teenager at 7 feet 9 inches tall, but he's more than just his height.
With the Gator's first game on Nov. 4th just around the corner.....
Here is everything Florida head coach Todd Golden said Monday, two days after his team's first of two preseason scrimmages. The Gators beat Florida International 80-49 in Gainesville on Saturday.
On what a preseason ranking means to him:
"Honestly, we've talked about it with our guys quite a bit. We're appreciative of the respect and are thankful that people are recognizing us that way. But at the same time for what we're trying to do and where we're trying to go, it really doesn't mean much in the big picture - so great starting point. But starting point and long-term goals are two completely different things.
Golden's perimeter starters: PG Walter Clayton - SG Alijah Martin - SF Will Richard. First off the bench is CG Denzel Aberdeen. ------------- For the rest, use the link.
247sports.com
Here is everything Florida head coach Todd Golden said Monday, two days after his team's first of two preseason scrimmages. The Gators beat Florida International 80-49 in Gainesville on Saturday.
On what a preseason ranking means to him:
"Honestly, we've talked about it with our guys quite a bit. We're appreciative of the respect and are thankful that people are recognizing us that way. But at the same time for what we're trying to do and where we're trying to go, it really doesn't mean much in the big picture - so great starting point. But starting point and long-term goals are two completely different things.
Golden's perimeter starters: PG Walter Clayton - SG Alijah Martin - SF Will Richard. First off the bench is CG Denzel Aberdeen. ------------- For the rest, use the link.
Everything Todd Golden said after first preseason scrimmage
The Gators are set to open their third season under head coach Todd Golden on Nov. 4
247sports.com
