Junior guard Denzel Aberdeen cranks out a prowler sprint during UF basketball summer works that began this week.
Harry Fodder: Summer Season in Session
Thursday, June 13, 2024 | Men's Basketball, Chris Harry
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By: Chris Harry, Senior Writer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The ball was dumped from the high post to Rueben Chinyelu on the block. The 6-foot-11, 250-pound transfer forward from Washington State had fellow sophomore and returning Florida post man Alex Condon, also 6-11, on his hip. Chinyelu chinned the ball, bodied up on his new teammate, bobbed a couple head fakes, then exploded off the floor, rotating his body a half-turn on the way up, and tomahawked a two-handed dunk in Condon's grill.
The gym erupted in oohs, ahhs and whoas (plus a playful taunt or two).
"Oh man," said one observer. "Rue put him in the hole."
About 30 minutes later, after the best-of-seven series of pickup was complete, the players met at midcourt. As they huddled to adjourn, transfer guard Alijah Martin – he of the Final Four pedigree by way of Florida Atlantic – acknowledged the trash talk and competitiveness of the past hour, but demanded those elements remain in the gym. Outside, it needed to be nothing but love. With his words came a collective nod.
One! Two! Three! TEAM! Alijah Martin
Florida men's basketball 2024-25 has begun. Not the '24-25 season, obviously. That's still five months away. But the closing of ranks and the getting-to-know-you phase officially started this week when returning players reported back and new ones checked for the start of offseason workouts, with those eight weeks a precursor to preseason practice in late-September.
"I think you can tell we've got some talent," said senior guard Walter Clayton Jr., who returned from his sojourn through the NBA evaluation process with a different short-hair look. "It's going to take some time to mesh together, but that's what summer is for."
For the Gators, who return six players and two starters from a team that finished 24-12 and reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time in three years, the most pivotal meshing will come in implementing the three transfers – Martin, the stout, shot-making, high-level defender in the backcourt, plus the "big" tandem of Chinyelu and 6-9, 230-pound Sam Alexis, from Tennessee-Chattanooga – into the UF system and finding chemistry among the new mix that also includes a pair of freshmen.
"This is time we get to bond and try to tighten up on things and tighten up on our skills," Chinyelu said of the summer routine of morning lifts and shooting sessions, plus afternoon individual workouts and pickup games. "For me, I just like putting on that Gator shirt and being out here with all these new guys. It's looking pretty fun so far."
UF is expecting big things for new big man Rueben Chinyelu, the 6-11, 250-pound transfer from Washington State.
The new additions will go a long ways toward replacing a pair of fifth-year seniors, point guard Zyon Pullin and forward Tyrese Samuel, both of whom arrived via the transfer portal and made the most of their final collegiate seasons as All-Southeastern Conference selections. The Gators also filled the void created by the season-ending injury to 7-1 center Micah Handlogten, who will sit out the '24-25 season recovering from a compound fracture in his left leg.
"We've added depth in the front court, especially on defense," Condon said. "The coaches put an emphasis on it."
UF currently has 11 scholarship players (two below the limit of 13), with Coach Todd Golden and his staff still shopping to fill out the roster. But the very early returns suggest the five rotational players back from last season – Clayton, senior Will Richard and junior Denzel Aberdeen on the perimeter, plus Condon and sophomore Thomas Haugh in the frontcourt – will join forces with the three new transfers to make up the frontline rotation in '24-25. Everything, of course, is subject to change.
Some early observations:
The UF fan base may question the absence of a so-called "true point guard" following the loss of Pullin. Those folks may want to remind themselves about the trajectory of Aberdeen during his first two seasons -- from a little-used freshman to key sophomore reserve (remember those 20 points and four 3s vs. Texas A&M?) -- and project what his work ethic could produce as a junior. Do not underestimate his drive, nor the time he's putting in daily with developmental coaches Taurean Green and Jordan Talley.
Sophomore point guard Kajus Kublickas, who played sparingly last season (just 35 minutes in 9 games), returned to his native Lithuania last month and likely will remain there to train for the balance of the summer schedule.
Both Condon and Haugh have a different air about them. That's what impact freshman seasons can do for confidence. Condon leaves next week to play with the Australian team at the Nissay Cup in Japan, an event that is a prelude to the FIBA Asia Cup.
Alexis is not the physical specimen along the lines of Chinyelu, but it was impressive to see him beat a group of guards in 21.5-second sprints. Alexis averaged 9.1 rebounds per game, so he's a ball-chaser, having finished in the top 100 in offensive rebounding percentage and top 50 on the defensive end. He also blocked 8.6 percent of shots taken when on the floor, which ranked 37th nationally.
Incoming freshmen require a little longer to process, but guard Isaiah Brown and walk-on center Olivier Rioux got checked in and will be joining workouts soon. Both players recently returned from participating in the FIBA U18 AmeriCup in Argentina; Brown for Puerto Rico and Rioux for Canada. Rioux, by way of IMG Academy, was believed to be the tallest teenager in the world when he committed at 7-7. He measured in at 7-7½.
— Florida Gators Men's Basketball (@GatorsMBK) June 12, 2024
The Gators finished sixth in the SEC in '23-24, then made a run to the league tournament championship game (their first since 2014) before bowing out in first-round NCAA play with a last-second 102-100 loss to Colorado, with the Buffaloes shooting 63 percent from the floor, including 11 consecutive made second-half field goals at one point, and had 28 assists. The defeat put a season-ending exclamation point on the team's offense-defense imbalance.
Florida, which set a program record by scoring 85.6 points per game, was 12th nationally in offensive efficiency, but 94th on the defensive end and one of the worst teams in the country at forcing turnovers.
How does that change this season?
It starts with will, according to UF associate head coach Carlin Hartman. As in want-to.
"The will to do it. The desire to have enough pride to be able to want to be great all around," Hartman said. "We had really great offensive talent last year. And, obviously, I love our guys. But I think it comes down to their will and our ability as coaches to put them in position to have success."
Chinyelu, Alexis and Martin, the Gators believe, will provide more will. All three were outstanding defensive players at their previous stops, albeit with different profiles.
Take Chinylelu, the Nigerian who came from the NBA Academy Africa. He was a freshman at WSU, whose rebounding and block-shot metrics were jaw-dropping, but he only averaged 14 minutes per game; a lot of that had to do with the Cougars' talent (they finished second in the Pac-12 and went to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2008), but foul trouble was an issue, also.
It'll be Hartman's charge to keep Chinyelu on the floor and allow his incredible athleticism and 7-10 wingspan to show up like it did in Pickup Day 1.
"He may be as strong as anyone I've gone up against," Condon said. "And he's got about 30 pounds on me."
All of it muscle.
Wing Will Richard (left) and guard Walter Clayton Jr. (foreground), who combined to average 29 points and hit 163 3-pointers, are back for their senior seasons after going through the NBA evaluation process.
Alexis was another portal prospect UF earmarked for his defense and ability to run the floor. Put the Chinyelu and Alexis alongside Condon, the SEC All-Freshman selection, and the high-energy Haugh and that makes four lengthy, bouncy and proven ball hawks inside.
The Gators believe better post defense will expand to the perimeter.
"We have to be better on defense this year, me included," Clayton said. "We definitely have the guys to do it. We'll have more protection [in the post] behind us now."
And then there's Martin, who was the top defender on the FAU squad that went 60-13 the last two seasons, including the a run to the '23 Final Four. UF, with Clayton (17.6 points per game) and Pullin (15.5), was elite offensively at the guard position last season, but Martin, built like a safety at 6-2 and 212, brings a different element when the opponent has the ball.
Oh, and he can score too. Martin combined to average 13.2 points and grab 4.1 rebounds for the Owls the last two seasons and shot 35.5 percent from the 3-point line.
"When you win 24 games and you outscore teams like we were able to outscore some teams that's a luxury and a benefit. You would always rather be an outstanding offensive team than one that has trouble scoring," Hartman said. "But I believe the three guys we brought in out of the portal are really, really good defenders in their own right at their positions."
Now, in these dog days of June, it's about finding out who does what best and making it all come together. Along the way, some guys are going to get put in the hole.
Condon, in fact, may just return the favor on Chinyelu one day.
"Well, this is basketball, so it is possible," Chinyelu said, before cracking a smile. "But I don't think so."
The gym erupted in oohs, ahhs and whoas (plus a playful taunt or two). 
