St. Bonaventure Guard Kyle Lofton Commits, Signs with the Florida Gators

The Florida Gators land another big-time transfer portal commitment from former St. Bonaventure guard Kyle Lofton. He signed with the team on Friday morning.

Todd Golden continues to redesign the Florida Gators' roster for glory in his first few months at the helm.

On Friday, Florida made its most significant transfer acquisition to date by earning a commitment and signing from talented graduate point guard Kyle Lofton.

Lofton, a four-year starter for the St. Bonaventure, provides the Gators with an elite ball-handler and facilitator at the lead guard position. His efficiency — one of the calling cards of a Golden coached team — made him a priority target for UF to haul in this offseason.

Averaging 12.8 points on 40% from the field and 5.9 assists per game in 2021-22 — a mark that ranks top ten in the NCAA last season — the three-time All-Atlantic 10 performer proved to be a dynamic piece to the Bonnies’ puzzle last season.

“We are excited to bring Kyle into our program here at Florida,” Golden said following the announcement. “Kyle has experienced a lot of success both from a team and individual standpoint during his time at St. Bonaventure. He’s a proven winner and leader. He makes others around him better and cares only about one thing: winning.”

Pairing with VMI transfer Trey Bonham, Lofton will give the Gators their first true dynamic point guard duo since Chris Chiozza and Kasey Hill co-existed in the mid-2010s.

Rotation will be vital as Florida takes on a new identity of a fast-paced offensive attack going forward.

As a whole, Florida has brought in four starting-caliber transfers in Lofton, Bonham, Alex Fudge and Will Richard to this point to fill every position of need.

However, with two spots left available, the Gators will likely continue to dip their hand into the portal to find more suitable pieces that fit Golden’s system in year one.

One option could be Lofton’s former teammate center Osun Osunniyi, who visited the University of Florida alongside him on May 5, to provide more depth behind and alongside returning starter Colin Castleton at the five.

With the addition of Lofton, Florida has already constructed a roster that has the potential to make an immediate impact in college basketball in 2022-23.

Anything else would be a cherry on top of a promising start for the new head coach and staff in Gainesville. 

Stay tuned to AllGators for continuous coverage of Florida Gators football, basketball and recruiting. Follow along on social media at @SI_AllGators on Twitter and Florida Gators on Sports Illustrated on Facebook. 


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Brandon Carroll
BRANDON CARROLL

Brandon Carroll is a recent graduate of the University of Florida. He serves as the lead reporter for the Florida Gators FanNation-Sports Illustrated website, covering football, basketball and recruiting. When he isn't hard at work, he enjoys listening to music, playing flag football and basketball, spending time with his friends and family, and watching an array of television shows. Follow him on Twitter @itsbcarroll.