Welcome Back: Summer Hoops in Full Swing

Sophomore forward Keith Stone shoots during Tuesday's offseason workout.

Welcome Back: Summer Hoops in Full Swing

Tuesday, June 27, 2017 | Men's Basketball, Chris Harry

The start of Summer "B" means the start of offseason workouts and conditioning.

By: Chris Harry, Senior Writer

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The 2017-18 Florida basketball team will have a lot of similar faces, but five new ones rolled into town and into the program this week.

The start of the Summer "B" semester means mandatory reporting for the players, who by Monday had checked in with their coaches, registered for classes and -- following a welcome-back meeting with Mike White and his staff -- dived head first into offseason training Monday.

The Gators return six players from the last season's squad that went 27-9 and advanced to the Elite Eight, including a pair of starters in shooting guard/scoring leader KeVaughn Allen and center Kevarrius Hayes, both juniors, plus senior point guard Chris Chiozza, the hero of UF's buzzer-beating defeat of Wisconsin in the Sweet 16.

NCAA rules allow two hours per week of on-court activities this time of year. The Gators prefer to break the time up into three separate (and lively) 40-minute periods.

"This is the most important time of the year, right here," said Chiozza, who like like several other teammates took the Summer "A" semester off. "The six-to-12 weeks in the summer, that's when everybody's body changes, when people grow and getting stronger, and skills get more developed."

Two players who sat out last season, Virginia Tech transfer wing Jalen Hudson and medical redshirt freshman forward Dontay Bassett, are also part of the 13-scholarship roster. Hudson, a gifted scorer, practiced all last season with the scout team, while Bassett sat out the year rehabbing from foot surgery, but last week was cleared for all on-court activities and full contact.

In addition, UF will add a four-member freshman class, plus Rice transfer Egor Koulechov, a combo forward who as a graduate transfer is eligible to play right away.

Most of the players were here over the weekend and got the first chance to play pick-up together Sunday.

"You're kind of feeling each other out a little, getting to know who's who," Koulechov said. "It's part of becoming a team."

Part of the arrival process is getting official heights and weights. Here are some numbers for the new guys:

Koulechov (Volograd, Russia) — 6-foot-5, 201 pounds. He'll wear jersey No. 4.
DeAundrae Ballard (guard/forward, Atlanta) — 6-5, 190. Jersey No. 24.
Chase Johnson (forward, Ripley, W.Va.) — 6-8 1/2, 202. Jersey No. 1.
Mike Okauru (guard, Raleigh, N.C.) — 6-3, 177. Jersey No. 0.
Isaiah Stokes (forward, Memphis, Tenn.) — 6-8, 298. Jersey No. 2.

We know you were wondering... pic.twitter.com/dasTIOpQ5I
— Gators M-Basketball (@GatorsMBK) June 20, 2017

RETURN OF BIG JOHN

He toyed with the idea of turning professional, but after some soul-searching and consulting with people at the next level, center John Egbunu, who graduated in May, opted to return to the Gators for a fifth-year senior season.

The 6-11, 255-pound Egbunu suffered a season-ending knee injury Feb. 14 at Auburn and underwent surgery several weeks later. He is now about two months removed from getting off crutches and Monday re-entered the weight room for the first time to began work on his upper body.

"It's definitely exciting to be back," said Egbunu, who averaged 7.8 points and a team-high 6.6 rebounds in 24 games, including 19 starts, during '16-17. "I'm looking forward to the opportunity for this season and all the guys coming back. I'm glad I'm here. I want to do whatever I can to help prepare myself and my teammates for the upcoming season, the grind of it. I want to be a leader. I want to tell them how it's supposed to be and help instill the culture early."

For now, the most important thing for Egbunu is getting healthy. He's doing his part on that front with trainer David "Duke" Werner and now will fold some lifting into the equation. He's also very close to resuming a running schedule on a gravity treadmill.

As for true basketball activities, it will be some time before Egbunu can play, but there are some things — like form shooting, free throws and touch shots sans jumping — that he can do to prepare for his final season. These are things the pro evaluators encouraged Egbunu to work on in advising him to get healthy and return to school. There will be other things also, such building on the great ball-screen defense he was playing at the time of his injury and focusing on rebounding and rim-protecting and letting offense find him in this, his final collegiate season.

"Obviously, it's a long journey," he said.

FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE FOR HOOPS

Koulechov figures to be this season's version of a Canyon Barry; an impact transfer with some very defined skills that will help the Gators, both at the small and power forward spots.

All he did at Rice last year was average 18.2 points per game to go with 8.9 rebounds, while shooting 47.3 percent from the floor, an astonishing 47.4 from the 3-point arc and 81.9 from the free-throw line. He'll be a welcome addition to a front court that said goodbye to starters Justin Leon, a senior, and Devin Robinson, who left following his junior season to turn pro.

Summer workouts on! #Gators pic.twitter.com/Ri05jodha5
— Chris Harry (@GatorsChris) June 27, 2017

Koulechov had a list of suitors, but ultimately chose the Gators over Oklahoma. Though born in Russia and with family in Israel, he actually attended high school in South Florida, so he had a level of comfort with coming back.

"It just feels good to be back in Florida. It was the first state I came to when I came to the [U.S.] six years ago," he said. "So far, I like it. Great coaches, great players, great atmosphere."

Now, it's about fitting in.

"I believe i made the right choice coming here and being a part of something great," Koulechov said. "We want to keep this thing going and go as far as we can. Everybody has a role to play. It starts now."

FREE THROWS

Like Egbunu, Stokes is coming off reconstructive knee surgery, but he is doing drills in the workouts. … Hayes has built himself up to 225 pounds, with an eye toward 240. Don't worry. The extra weight has not affected his agility, mobility or athleticism. It will, however, help him bang better with Yante Maten and the like. … Speaking of body changes, sophomore Keith Stone continues to reshape his. This is a big season for third-year forward, as far as showing the coaches a pattern of consistency from one practice to the next, one game to the next. His 12 minutes per game are the only returning minutes at the forward position on the entire roster. …Since he arrived on campus 10 days ago, Ballard has shown up at the gym to shoot with one of the team's managers every morning at 4 a.m. Well, almost every morning. "Every day but Sunday," Ballard said. "I give that day to the Lord." … In case you missed it, Robinson signed a free-agent deal with the Washington Wizards, Barry signed with the New York Knicks and Leon has a chance to catch on with Oklahoma City. No word yet on a summer landing spot for point guard Kasey Hill, but he figures to get a look somewhere.