When Alex Condon dove on the Alamodome flooring for a free ball as time expired on Florida’s 65-63 national-title recreation victory over Houston in April, it marked the fruits of a speedy return to prominence for the Gators below coach Todd Golden. Florida had not been previous the primary weekend of the NCAA Event since 2017 till it tore via the 2025 Large Dance and reduce down the nets in San Antonio.
Golden elevated Florida from 16-17 in his first season to 24-12 with a return to the NCAA Event in his second season. Then got here a quantum leap that returned UF to the heights of Billy Donovan’s legendary tenure. Florida tied a school-record with 36 victories as Golden, who simply turned 40 in July, pulled up a chair at a desk with the sport’s greats.
Dribble Handoff: Kansas’ Darryn Peterson, Florida’s Boogie Fland amongst splashiest roster additions for 2025-26
David Cobb
Now comes the encore. Florida’s three-headed guard monster of Walter Clayton Jr., Alijah Martin and Will Richard has departed, however the Gators gained’t be quick on continuity as they mount their nationwide title protection. With star forwards Thomas Haugh and Alex Condon subsequent to a top-flight tandem of facilities in Rueben Chinyelu and Micah Handlogten, Florida shall be a drive once more in 2025-26 and is ranked No. 6 within the CBS Sports activities High 25 And 1 early rankings.
It will be no shock if the Gators land close to the highest of the preseason AP ballot. With Golden on the sidelines and an attractive crop of perimeter expertise arriving by way of the portal to enrich arguably the nation’s prime frontcourt, Florida has a reliable likelihood to observe up UConn’s back-to-back titles with consecutive championships of its personal.
In spite of everything, it’s been achieved at Florida earlier than. Previous to the Huskies in 2023 and 2024, Florida was the game’s final back-to-back champion in 2006 and 2007. With the offseason participant motion cycle wrapped up and the 2025-26 season creeping nearer, we’re taking a better have a look at the rosters of school basketball’s prime contenders. Right here’s the breakdown on the reigning nationwide champions.
Projected beginning lineup
1. Xaivian Lee | 6-4 | 180 | Sr.
Lee was only a function participant as a freshman on Princeton’s Candy 16 squad in 2023 earlier than growing right into a two-time all-Ivy League performer. After operating the present for the Tigers, Lee (+6500 to win the Wood Award at FanDuel) will possible share ball-handling duties with Boogie Fland. He shines when taking pictures off the dribble, very similar to Walter Clayton Jr. did for Florida final season. As such, he must be a pure slot in Golden’s system, although it could clearly be outlandish to count on him to totally change Clayton’s manufacturing.
2. Boogie Fland | 6-3 | 180 | So.
The previous five-star prospect performed simply 21 video games as a freshman for Arkansas final season amid a thumb damage that required midseason surgical procedure. However his offensive upside as a facilitator (5.1 assists per recreation) and shooter (36.8% from 3=level vary earlier than his damage) had been amply clear. Like Lee, Fland (+5000 to win the Wood Award at FanDuel) is unafraid to let it fly off the dribble, however he wants to enhance at ending via contact within the paint.
3. Thomas Haugh | 6-9 | 215 | Jr.
Golden has made no secret of the truth that Haugh (+10000 to win the Wood Award at FanDuel) will play considerably extra on the 3 in 2025-26 after he was deployed as a super-sub 4 throughout a breakout sophomore season. He’s a voracious rebounder, versatile defender and is self-aware offensively. Haugh thrives on the rim as a relentless downhill driver in transition and as a cutter/curler. However in case you give him house, he can drill 3-pointers. A powerful junior season will get him critical NBA Draft appears.
4. Alex Condon | 6-11 | 230 | Jr.
Condon is again for extra after flirting with the NBA Draft following an all-SEC sophomore season. The versatile Australian large (+10000 to win the Wood Award at FanDuel) runs the ground like a deer but in addition has 3-point taking pictures and conventional post-ups in his bag. Defensively, he’s bought the suitable mixture of dimension and mobility to guard the paint and maintain his personal on the perimeter.
5. Rueben Chinyelu | 6-10 | 265 | Jr.
Chinyelu was a savvy 2024 portal pickup for Florida, which wanted his dimension final season after a devastating damage to Micah Handlogten within the 2024 SEC Event. Whereas the ex-Washington State large man isn’t overwhelmingly expert, his uncommon mixture of dimension, athleticism and motor makes him an ideal match for a crew that runs in transition and crushes opponents on the glass.
Off the bench
Micah Handlogten | 7-1 | 265 | Sr.
Handlogten might have taken a medical redshirt final season after a grotesque leg damage within the 2024 SEC Event. However the 7-footer returned to play a helpful bench function over the stretch run. He’s yet one more nice rebounder and inside finisher and can contribute to Florida’s effort to bodily overwhelm opponents.
A.J. Brown | 6-4 | 210 | R-Jr.
The older brother of sophomore guard Isaiah Brown hit 38.8% of his 3-pointers on 4.8 makes an attempt per recreation at Ohio final season. He’s the form of low-usage, spot-up taking pictures menace who might fill a model of the function that Will Richard performed final season.
CJ Ingram | 6-6 | 202 | Fr.
Ingram shot up the recruiting rankings as a senior to complete the 2025 recruiting cycle ranked No. 19 within the class by 247Sports. He was additionally a highschool soccer participant and brings physicality to the wing. Provided that he’s a late bloomer who turns 18 on Aug. 12, his offensive contributions are more likely to be restricted as a freshman.
City Klavzar | 6-1 | 195 | Jr.
Klavzar was a summer season dedication final season who didn’t get cleared by the NCAA till after the season began. However he nonetheless discovered a distinct segment as a 20-year previous newcomer, logging 10 minutes per recreation in 26 appearances. He’s a 3-point menace who possesses some classic European craftiness as a reserve guard.
Isaiah Brown | 6-4 | 210 | So.
Brown by no means fairly cracked the rotation as a freshman for a crew that stayed remarkably wholesome. As he competes for minutes this 12 months, he’ll achieve this alongside his brother, A.J. Brown.
Alex Lloyd | 6-3 | 178 | Fr.
Lloyd was the No. 41 prospect within the class and comes with numerous offensive potential. Incomes a right away function gained’t be straightforward, however there’s clearly upside right here with an in-state prospect who was a late riser within the class.
Filling out the roster
The Gators have a humiliation of riches within the frontcourt. Rioux gained high quality recreation expertise for Canada within the FIBA U19 World Cup over the summer season. In the meantime, Mikic performed a key function for Serbia within the U20 Euro Championship. Kovatchev provides guard depth after lacking all however 4 video games as a consequence of damage at Sacramento State final season. He was a part of the Hornets’ guard rotation as a freshman in 2023-24.
Alex Kovatchev | 6-5 | 190 | R-So.
Viktor Mikes | 6-11 | 250 | So.
Olivier Rioux | 7-9 | 305 | R-Fr.
Market watch
Florida’s odds to win 2026 NCAA Event (by way of Fanduel): +1700
The absolutely intact return of Florida’s elite frontcourt provides the Gators an extremely excessive flooring as they mount their national-title protection. There isn’t a crew in faculty basketball that boasts the identical mixture of dimension, athleticism and rebounding tenacity. If there’s a query for the Gators to reply, it’s at guard.
Fland and Lee had been every top-30 transfers, however they’ve large sneakers to fill. Clayton, Martin and Richard had been proficient exterior shooters and good on the rim final season. Ending within the lane was a weak spot in Fland’s recreation at Arkansas, and it’s not a power for Lee, both. Golden’s want to play Haugh at small ahead alongside Condon and Chinyelu may also be an enchanting experiment.
A foul consequence of going with an enormous lineup could be a discount in floor-spacing that mixes with poor ending chops from the guards to create offensive regression. However even in that state of affairs, Florida would nonetheless be nice at protection and rebounding. The optimistic various consequence is that the Gators bodily dominate opponents whereas additionally benefiting from having two facilitators on their solution to one other Last 4.
