The Florida Gators men’s basketball team has earned a No. 5 ranking in The Athletic’s updated preseason top 25, following the dust settling on the transfer portal and NBA draft decisions.
In his “Top 25 Reset”, college basketball analyst CJ Moore praised the Gators’ size, depth and incoming transfers as key reasons for their rise.
Florida’s frontcourt, featuring Thomas Haugh, Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu, was highlighted as a potential matchup nightmare. Also, the Gators added two major transfers in guards Boogie Fland and Xaivian Lee.
Head coach Todd Golden’s ability to reload after a national championship run was also commended. Moore emphasized the Gators’ up-tempo offensive style and potential for further growth from players like Haugh and Condon as central to Florida’s championship hopes.
The Gators are the highest-ranked SEC program in the rankings, ahead of teams like the Kentucky Wildcats (No. 9) and Auburn Tigers (No. 10).
Here is everything Moore wrote about Florida basketball and why he ranked them at No. 5.
What The Athletic said about Florida
“Big is back: Last season’s best teams had positional size and elite paint protection. Florida could play a giant lineup that features Thomas Haugh (6-9), Alex Condon (6-11) and Rueben Chinyelu (6-10) up front. Those three played together only three possessions last season, per CBB Analytics, but it’ll be hard to justify bringing one of them off the bench, considering Haugh’s performance in the NCAA Tournament and the inexperience of the other wing options. That big lineup could also help mask some defensive limitations of Boogie Fland and Xaivian Lee.
“Florida’s up-tempo style should help Fland prove he can be a more efficient player than he was under John Calipari. The Gators will contend for another title if Fland and Lee are productive and if Haugh and Condon continue to gain confidence in their playmaking and scoring abilities. They’ll be expected to perform more like stars and take some of the heat off perimeter guys who cannot be expected to replicate the production of Walter Clayton.”
The Athletic’s top five college basketball teams
The Athletic ranked the Purdue Boilermakers as the top team in the country, followed by the Houston Cougars, UConn Huskies, Michigan Wolverines and Florida Gators to round out the top five.
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