Next year’s roster

At this stage, we basically have an 8-man rotation of Lee, Klavzar, AJ Brown, Isaiah Brown, Haugh, Condon, Chinyelu, and Handlogten. Ingram and Lloyd are bonuses. I suspect we bring in another wing or combo guard, who would likely push Isaiah out of the rotation. That’s about what Golden likes: 8-9 man rotation, but 10-11 deep.

 

The top returning minutes of players from the 2025 Florida season are the following:
2024-25 Florida Gators Men's Roster and Stats | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com
(Note: GS - Games Started)

F: Alex Condon => GS (35/37): 24.9 min
F:Thomas Haugh=>GS (5/40): 24.4 min

C: Chinyelu ==> GS (40/40): 19.0 min
C: Handlogten => GS (0/16): 13.3 min
--GS in 2024 (before injury): (32/33): 18.9 min

G: Urban Klazar => GS (0/26): 10.0 min
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What's missing?
PG: Clayton - 32.6 min, GS(39/39)
SG: Richard - 31.6 min, GS (40/40)
SG: Martin - 30.4 min, GS (36/38)
PG/SG: Aberdeen: 19.8 min, GS (5/39)
F: Sam Alexis: 11.9 min, GS (0/24)

Who's coming in 2026? Transfers, Freshmen & Underclassmen.
PG: Xaivian Lee, Sr - GS-Princeton (30/30), 32.1 min
SG: AJ Brown, rsJr) - GS-Ohio (29/29), 26.6 min

SF: CJ Ingram, Fr - (#21, #6 SF)
SG: Alexander Lloyd, FR - (#36, #9 SG))

G: Isaiah Brown, So

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Next year, I believe that both Handlogten (FT: 38% (13/34) in 2024, 18% (2/11) in 2025) & Chinyelu (FT: 58.2%, 32/55)) will get about equal time playing time at the center position, about 19 min/G. They are both effective rebounders.

Handlogten is a better passer and was a good shot blocker previously at Marshall; Chinyelu is more physical in the post and could probably guard more of the tougher competition if not for foul trouble. In some games, foul trouble could dictate which one will play more in a given game. As to which one of them starts &/or finishes the game, whom ever is the better free throw shooter should get the nod. However, another alternative is to play Condon (FT: 60.4%, 102/169) at center down the stretch who shoots free throws a little bit better and made many more of them.

Another point about the post play in the 2025 season, both Chinyelu & Handlogten combined for only 32.3 minutes at the center position; the remaining time (7.7 min) was played by Condon at center. So at powerfoward, Haugh actually logged more minutes at 24 min than what Condon had at PF (about 17 minutes). Something similar may happen next season.

Whever, Florida decides to go to a bigger front-court, Haugh probably logged a few minutes at the three, also.
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As for the three wing positions, Florida is still pursuing a fews names to fill out their roster: (6'7 A.Stojakovic, 6'6 D.Claude, 6'5 B.Henshall; ?6'5 Coward).
Options For Gators in Transfer Portal After Aberdeen Departure

ESPN Basketball Recruiting - Player Rankings
As for the two highly rated freshmen players, Golden will probably give significant minutes to both Ingram & Lloyd similar to how Kugel (23 min), Haugh (14.7 min) and Condon (20.3 min) got playing time when they were freshmen at Florida.
2023-24 Florida Gators Men's Roster and Stats | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com
2022-23 Florida Gators Men's Roster and Stats | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com

Another example was the 2019 team in which three freshmen had significant playing time: Nembhard (32 min, #28 rated), N.Locke (25.4 min, #73 rated) & K.Johnson (23.8 min, rated #70).
2018-19 Florida Gators Men's Roster and Stats | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com
ESPN Basketball Recruiting - Player Rankings
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Right now if no more transfers were added to the roster, my projected team next season:

PG: 6'4 180 Xaivian Lee, Sr/
/ 6'3 165 A. Lloyd, Fr

SG: 6'4 210 AJ Brown, rsJr/
/6'1 190 Urban Klavzar, So

SF/SG: 6'6 200 CJ Ingram, Fr/
/6'4 200 Isaiah Brown, So

PF: 6'11 230 Alex Condon, Jr/
/6'9 210 Thomas Haugh, Jr

C: 7'1 235 Micah Handlogten, ?rsJr or Sr/
/6'10 255 Rueben Chinyelu, Jr
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C: 7'9 305 Olivier Rioux, rsFr/
6'11 240 Viktor Mikic, So

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One could also switch Haugh at the three and place Ingram at the four. Ingram is very good around the basket.

 

I do the same with sports and with movies too; now, I’ll deny it if ever confronted but now I put it in writing so how smart does that make me! ;my wife thinks it’s a bit peculiar, like re-watching favorite movies relatively often.

 

Good news, hearing that Xaivian will skip the draft process and focus on being the best Gator he can be. Now... how soon can we get him to Gainesville to start working out, lifting weights, and playing pickup ball with his new teammates? Sounds like he's already graduated from Princeton and looks like Summer A classes start May 12th at UF. Dude will be a celeb the second he arrives on campus.

 

This is great information and represents a lot of work. Thanks.

 

I don't see Alex Lloyd commanding the backup point guard role ahead of Klavzar. Urbie has great ball distribution instincts.

 

Update below. Italics means declared for the draft or entered the portal, but may return.

Post: Chinyelu, Condon, Haugh, Handlogten, Alexis, Rioux
Wing: Aberdeen, Lee, Klavzar, Brown, Brown, Lloyd, Ingram

 

If Condon doesn't come back, then Haugh has to play the 4 (not the 3), and we might not have a good option backing him up at PF. I don't think rolling both Micah and Reuben out there at the same time is a recipe for success.

 

Condo coming back will be huge. If he doesn’t, Handlogten will really need to step up his game - which I think of he’s healthy all summer, get in a full of season of conditioning etc I think he will…but Condo returning will be HUGE

 

What do we know about Micic? Is he a 4 or 5? Can we count on him to be the backup 4 behind Condo so Haugh can play the 3. If he gives us the equivalent of a freshman Condo or Haugh at the 4, that might be good enough. Would love to be able to play Haugh, Condo and Chinny all at the same time. Talk about cleaning up on the boards.

 

In clips from preseason practices, I was impressed by Mikic's footwork and lateral movement. He's not a big stiff. I didn't see enough to get an idea of his skills level during clips or his few minutes of play this season. But I'm glad he's back and I think he's in good position to be part of the rotation in the season after next. Not enough info yet to know if he's better at the 4 or 5.
And Ollie Rioux... talk about a wild card. I'll love seeing him get his first minutes.

 

Two or three examples of him going coast-to-coast in the first clip.
Viktor Mikic - Hudl

 

In person, he doesn’t look big enough to be a 5.

 

I think you're right that we need another wing. At the start of last season, I tried to make a case for Haugh at the three and you pretty much disagreed - you were right, as Haugh played mostly at the four subbing in. Golden masterfully balanced the speedy/athletic smaller lineup with the two bigs lineups.
Going forward, it seems that there's no way we don't start Haugh. If Condo stays, we most likely shift Haugh to the three at least for starters. Only other three I see there is AJ. If Condo leaves, we need a stud either at the 3 or 4. If Condo stays, we need a decent wing, but probably not a dude who will give big minutes.
Does it seem evident that Lee and AJ will be the starting guards, or do you see other combos there?

 

He looks pretty damn good to me.

 

Don't overlook Alex Lloyd as a contributor. He averaged 42% from 3 and 87% at the free throw line this season. That's some serious shooting on his way to almost 28 points per game.

 

As it stands right now, Lee and AJ will probably start. But let's see if Urban can make the jump and pick up the starting role at the 2. He has a scorer's mentality and the skills to back it up. I think Xaivian pretty much has the PG starter spot locked up, with Urban subbing for him.

 

Really hard to say. Golden said in his final presser that he could see Haugh “stealing 12 minutes” at the 3. I don’t love Haugh there, because it puts him out in space against much quicker SEC wings, and that will limit his drives and open 3s, plus hurt him defensively. But it will help our size and rebounding, get our best five on the court, and he deserves an opportunity since that’s likely where he plays professionally.

As far as available guards/wings, I just don’t see much out there on the portal market that I love, or that we have shown any interest in. If Condon leaves, we are pretty much screwed, but I don’t see it. Henshall is very much an option, though no one knows what hurdles exist to his eligibility. A couple of other international players have been mentioned, so maybe we take a flyer there.

As to starting guards, don’t really know, either. Can’t say I feel great about Lee and AJ Brown starting. Good size and shooting, but not a ton of athleticism and some real question marks defensively. I could see either or both of Klavzar and Isaiah Brown taking a leap, though not sure how high their ceilings are. I wouldn’t sleep on Lloyd, either. Kid is rail thin and young for his grade, but his game is really good. A little bit of a Tre Mann feel with him in terms of his offensive skill set, just not as physically ready. I don’t see him contributing much as a freshman, but I also wouldn’t bet against it if he fills out any between now and November.