Florida basketball’s latest NBA Draft withdrawal solidifies Gators’ No. 1 powerhouse next season

The Florida Gators are primed to be one of the best teams in college basketball next season. Just two seasons ago, Florida won the national championship with Walter Clayton leading the way. Alex Condon, Rueben Chinyelu, and Thomas Haugh were also important players on that roster. While they were eliminated in the Round of 32 this past season, a 27-win campaign can still be looked at as a success.

The Gators could very well be back in the national championship game this upcoming season because of the offseason luck that they’ve had. Chinyelu just withdrew his name from the 2026 NBA Draft and decided to return to Florida for one more season. The center from Nigeria started all 40 games during Florida’s championship run. He only averaged 6.9 points per game that season, but his defense, effort, and physicality were all important skill sets that he brought to the Gators. This past season, Chinyelu saw an uptick in production, as he averaged 10.9 points and a SEC-leading 11.2 rebounds per game.

On top of returning Chinyelu, the Gators will have his frontcourt partners back. Condon and Haugh are also coming back to Gainesville despite rumored interest from NBA teams. Condon and Haugh were Florida’s leading scorers, with 15.1 and 17.1 points per game, respectively.

Furthermore, Boogie Fland will return to the starting lineup. After starting his career at Arkansas, Fland transferred to Florida and took Clayton’s spot in the backcourt. That means that Xaivian Lee is the only starter from last season who won’t be back. Such continuity is a rarity in the modern era of college basketball, and the familiarity the Florida roster will have together next season has the team in a great place.

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