Good luck, D-Rob!
Harry Fodder: Offseason Roster Shakeup Continues
Friday, April 14, 2017 | Men's Basketball, Chris Harry
UF lost two players this week, with another defection a possibility.
Devin Robinson, for example.
With Robinson making official Friday his early exit to chase his NBA dream, the Gators are in full-blown offseason attrition mode. Two days ago, word that guard Eric Hester was transferring became public. And there's a chance (though it's far from a done deal) that John Egbunu, coming off season-ending knee surgery, has played his final game at Florida, what with the 6-foot-11, 255-pound center set to graduate in two weeks and having told the coaches he's exploring his playing options.
Now, throw in the four outgoing seniors (Kasey Hill, Justin Leon, Canyon Barry and walk-on Schuyler Rimmer), and that means more than half of Florida's roster next season could turn over.
UF has a four-man freshman class on the way, a group that already included swingman DeAundrae Ballard (Atlanta), forward Chase Johnson (Riply, W.Va) and center Isaiah Stokes (Memphis, Tenn.), who is coming off reconstructive knee surgery in January, from the early signing period last fall. That incoming class grew by one Wednesday with the signing of Michael Okauru, a combo guard from Raleigh, N.C., by way of Brewster Academy, the prep school powerhouse in New Hampshire. Those four, plus the eight returning players, leaves one open scholarship. Two if Egbunu leaves. Without a doubt, UF will be in the graduate transfer market, especially after hitting a home run with Barry, the 2017 Southeastern Conference Sixth Man of the Year after jumping from College of Charleston. There will be several grad candidates paying visits over the next couple weeks -- I may even have bumped into one today at the hoops complex -- who could make an instant impact, maybe even compete for a starting job, especially at Robinson's vacated spot.
For now, though, the leader in the club house to take Robinson's place is 6-6 Jalen Hudson, who transferred from Virginia Tech last summer. Hudson is a tremendous offensive talent, a guy who can get his shot any time he wants, ala guard KeVaughn Allen. But Hudson has been told (often) that his defense will have to improve if he's to find extended minutes on the floor. If he needs a source of motivation (besides, say, an incoming grad transfer), here's a suggestion.
Go watch tape of Robinson's season.
I give "D-Rob" a lot of credit. Not only did he put up career-best numbers (11.1 points, 6.1 rebounds per game) as a junior, but he completely remade himself on the defensive end, to the point Robinson where he was taking more pride in how he guarded and actually enjoyed it.
"Defense is fun," Robinson often said to his coaches.
Especially when played well. Not only did his defense help the Gators during their 27-win season and run to the Elite Eight, but it's possible all those reminders from assistants Jordan Mincy and Darris Nichols about the guys Robinson will have to guard in the NBA may have sunk in.
As of now, Robinson doesn't show up in very many NBA mock drafts — he is the first Gator to enter the draft early since Michael Frazier II went unselected in 2015 and went undrafted — but that's to be expected of a prospect who over the course of the season was thought to be a fringe second-rounder. Robinson likely helped his stock in the eyes of scouts, especially in using his length and bounce to play better defense.
But back to what Robinson's exit means for the Gators. The fact is, for now, we don't really know.
First, let's see if he's the last one out the door.
And who might be coming in.
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