Big Expectations for Florida Gators Basketball in 2024/25

The Florida Gators have some new faces as expectations rise for a team that made big strides last season.

Florida Atlantic Owls guard Alijah Martin / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The Florida Gators had one of their best seasons in recent years, racking up 24 wins to just 12 losses under second-year head coach Todd Golden. The total marked an 8-win improvement over Golden’s first year with the Gators.

Moreover, those 24 wins are the most since the 2016-17 Elite 8 team that finished with 27 total wins. 

However, nature must run its course with players leaving annually through graduation, the draft or, nowadays, the transfer portal. Here's a look at how the Gators currently shape up heading into next season.

Who’s Out the Door

For the Gators, their biggest losses this offseason were starting point guard Zyon Pullin and starting forward/center Tyrese Samuel. Both departed from the program due to exhausting their remaining years of eligibility. 

Additionally, their depth at the wing took a hit when sophomore Riley Kugel announced his intention to transfer, eventually finding a home with the Mississippi State Bulldogs. 

They did have one other player, Alex Szymczyk, enter the transfer portal, but he didn’t play at all this past season due to injury.

Lastly, the Gators still await decisions from two other key contributors from last season’s campaign. 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 stay in the draft should be made public within the next week or so as the deadline to withdraw from the NBA Draft is next Wednesday, May 29th. 

Florida will need both players to return if they plan on keeping the preseason hype surrounding the program. Their return looks like the most likely scenario currently. 

Players Finding a New Home at Florida

The portal taketh, the portal giveth.

Now, more than ever, the transfer portal has served as a beacon of light for many coaches in college basketball. It is how they build their teams to be able to compete as quickly as possible. 

So, which players have found a new home at 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 that helped guide a spectacular FAU team all the way 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. 

Although he may not be a like-for-like swap at the point guard position for Pullin, he still provides great experience, explosive athleticism and defense, something the Gators severely missed last season. 

Also joining the Gators for the upcoming season is 6-foot-11, 245-pound big man Rueben Chinyelu, a Washington State transfer. 

Chinyelu is someone Golden was familiar with as he tried recruiting him before he ultimately signed with the Cougars in the 2023 recruiting cycle. 

Playing in 35 games (12 starts) during his freshman season, he averaged 4.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game. 

The final transfer, but also the first one 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 make their way to the Gators under Golden by way of the portal. 

The other two were Alex Fudge and Walter Clayton Jr.

Like the other two transfers for the Gators, Alexis brings a positive defensive presence that the Gators needed a season ago. 

In his sophomore season at Chattanooga, he finished the year averaging 10.8 points, 9.1 rebounds and astounding 2.1 blocks per game. 

“He's already proven to be a great finisher, rebounder, and rim protector, and we expect him to continue expanding his game on the offensive end," Golden said after announcing the addition of Alexis to the roster. 

These three, as of now, look to be the only additions through the portal. 

The other newcomers to the Gators are freshmen Isaiah Brown and Olivier Rioux. 

Both played their high school ball in the state of Florida and ranked as three-star prospects in the 2024 cycle according to 247 Sports. 

So, it is safe to say that Golden and Co. worked their tail off replacing and restructuring the Gators roster for the upcoming season. If Clayton and Richard return, expectations for the Gators' basketball team should be as high as they've been in years.