Florida Gators Basketball 2022-23 Player Profile: PG Trey Bonham
There's an uncharacteristic buzz surrounding Florida basketball in the summer months.
Seeing drastic turnover occur from top to bottom — with head coach Mike White, his assistants and four starters departing from Gainesville — the University of Florida brought in San Francisco head coach Todd Golden to take over at the helm.
While a mass exodus usually indicates that significant time is needed to rebuild, all the right pieces have fallen into the right places. The changing of the guard at the top of the program can serve as the pivotal turning point needed to surge back from the distressing state of mediocrity experienced as of late.
In an effort to reconstruct the program to its former status of consistency and excellence achieved under Billy Donovan, Golden made it a focus to draw in talented transfers to fill the bevy of holes the roster presented.
Adding on to the promising members retained from 2021-22, the Gators have compiled a more-than-capable unit to take the floor next season.
The mixture of new and familiar faces slates them to reconcile the program sooner rather than later under the new leadership.
In anticipation of Golden's first season in charge, AllGators plans to profile the 12 scholarship players occupying spots on the roster as they look to accomplish that mission in the upcoming season. We will start by examining the backcourt and work into the frontcourt over the next few weeks.
After covering "the engine" of the Florida Gators squad this season Kyle Lofton, it is time to shift focus to his backup and eventual successor at point guard, Trey Bonham.
Related: Gators Transfer Guard Trey Bonham: 'I Would Have Committed Before My Visit'
Scouting Report: Florida Gators Transfer PG Trey Bonham
Player History
Bonham is the embodiment of an underdog tale. From undersized and undervalued to one of the most productive players in college basketball.
Severely overlooked as a recruit coming out of the high school ranks, Bonham possessed little interest from Division-I programs. Underrated due to what he lacked in stature, standing at just 5-foot-11, 170-pounds, Bonham's choices to continue his basketball career were slim.
He elected to suit up for the Virginia Military Institute, continuing a legacy of family service beginning with his grandfather's four-year stint in the Air Force and his father, Robert Bonham's, 20 years in the Navy.
"I knew they had a reputation of when you're a freshman, you're gonna have a chance to play," he said during a media availability over the summer. "That was the only real offer I had at the beginning of my senior year. So, I went ahead and took it."
Starting in 36 of his 53 games played with the Keydets, Bonham proved to be a highly efficient one-guard for Andrew Wilson's squad. He accounted for 13.6 points on 50.3% shooting from the field (and 40.4% from beyond the arc), four assists and 1.1 steals in 2021-22. That multifaceted production proved his worth as a Power Six caliber talent when he entered the portal following the year.
His value as a high-upside prospect from an analytical standpoint resulted in hearing from a plethora of top programs around the nation, including
Now, he enters the next chapter of his career, repping orange and blue in the conference he dreamed of playing in as a child. However, despite his arrival at one of the NCAA's highest levels of play, the sub-6-foot guard still has plenty to prove.
He carries that chip on his shoulder as he attempts to restore Florida to a national powerhouse under the coaching staff that took an analytically-backed chance on him.
2022-23 Season Role/Projection
The diamond in the rough on the 2022-23 Florida Gators roster.
Expected to operate in consistent rotation with Lofton at the point guard position, Bonham will take on an essential role in relief in the up-tempo attack for the Gators this upcoming season.
His ability to attack the paint off the dribble will be his calling card for his year one stint in orange and blue. Showing the capability to maneuver through the length on the inside, Bonham has a knack for finishing amongst the trees at the cup. His dribble-drive talent has guided him to this point in his career.
However, even when he utilizes the quick first step to blow by opponents, Bonham has the basketball IQ to deviate from his original game plan. If he sees help defenders slide over to close off the shot attempt he envisioned, he can facilitate elsewhere.
That improvisation allows him to set up open teammates for easy baskets. Big man Colin Castleton will be a beneficiary of that aspect of Bonham's skill set as he occupies a spot on the opposite block.
His prowess as a scorer has come chiefly from a role where he has been ball dominant. The next step to elevate his game to the next level in the SEC will be finding pockets in the defense for spot-up jumper opportunities and executing in those off-ball situations.
While he may be eased into the lineup early in the season to ensure a smooth transition against better competition, the Mobile (Ala.) will slowly find himself integrated into the lineup more as the schedule moves toward league play. His progression will be intriguing as he's groomed for the starting guard spot in 2023-24.
If he can continue the success he realized at VMI, and does so with similar efficiency, Bonham will be an integral asset for Florida on the offensive end this season.
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