Report: Gators Hoops Pursuing Two Grad Transfer Prospects

Florida hoops is in the mix for two top graduate transfers on the market following the 2022-23 season.

Photo: Todd Golden; Credit: Zach Goodall

The 2022-23 regular season has officially closed in college basketball.

While postseason play sits at the forefront of each program's mind, there is a growing awareness of the March transfer portal movement.

Todd Golden and Co. are taking advantage of the early opportunity to recruit veteran talent.

On Tuesday, Swamp247's Jacob Rudner reported that Florida has expressed serious interest and contacted graduate transfers B.J. Mack (Wofford) and Chris Ledlum (Harvard) in an attempt to fill the five spots that will be vacated by departing pieces this offseason. 

Kyle Lofton, Colin Castleton, Myreon Jones, Jason Jitoboh and CJ Felder are all on their way out of Gainesville. More pieces could depart as well once the year officially concludes. Roster attrition is an expected trend in the current world of collegiate sports, resulting in the need to diligently identify and pursue talent elsewhere.

Mack and Ledlum, if they were to choose Florida, would join an ever-improving group of talent on the roster, with Riley Kugel and Will Richard leading the charge.

Averaging 16.6 points and shooting at a 49.2% clip, Mack excelled as a post-scorer for the Terriers to lead them in scoring over the last two seasons. He's also flashed as a facilitator from the inside, something Florida will continue to look for from its frontcourt moving forward.

In 2021-22, he led the unit in every statistical category, including points, assists, rebounds, assists and blocks, proving to be an all-around elite talent in the SoCon.

He played center at Wofford, but would likely be undersized at the spot in the SEC, forcing a transition if he were to compete in his final collegiate season at Florida.  

Standing at 6-foot-8, 245 pounds, Mack could give the Gators scoring production at the four spot that has been hit or miss for the program this year. 

Currently, the starting four is occupied by Richard — a traditional three with the length to play bigger than his height suggests. Alex Fudge occupies a role in the rotation and CJ Felder has assumed depth with inconsistent minutes since he took a leave of absence from the program.

Mack would be a beneficial plug to allow the Gators to move away from its current small ball lineup.

Ledlum, on the other hand, aligns as a 6-foot-6 two-guard prospect with the size to operate at the three, if needed. He's showcased an elite scoring ability off the dribble and attacking the bucket as the Crimson's top offensive weapon this year.

For Harvard, he produced career-highs in points (18.8), field goal percentage (47.3%), assists (1.6), steals (1.8) and blocks (1.1) per game. His offensive prowess matches what Florida is looking to acquire after the aforementioned struggle at points this season, while his positional versatility presents significant defensive upside.

His length, hand activity and the occasional display of rim protection on that end fit well with the defensive identity the Gators built in year one of Golden's reign.

Both players have attacked the boards at a high level throughout their careers, with Ledlum ranking 60th in the nation in rebounds per game at 8.5 this season. The Gators struggled in that area, especially once Castleton went out with injury, and neglected to crash the offensive glass early in the year due to a lack of success and lapses in transition defense.

It's not a trend Golden will look to continue moving forward. Ledlum and Mack could help ensure it doesn't. 

Florida's roster retooling efforts are only beginning, but securing two of the nation's most productive scoring and rebounding wings from the 2022-23 season would kickstart that endeavor.

Next, the Gators will be in the market for a floor general at point guard and one or two pieces to slide in at the five, the spot Castleton leaves large shoes to fill behind.

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