Florida Basketball: 2019-20 season preview for the Gators
Projected Starting Frontcourt
Scottie Lewis | 6-foot-5 | 185 lbs | Freshman
Ranked as the No. 7 overall incoming recruit in the country, expectations are high for Scottie Lewis. The 6-foot-5 wing seems to be a perfect fit in Coach White’s system and he should emerge as a two-way star right away for the program.
Lewis boasts a well-rounded skill set and is particularly dangerous on the defensive end of the floor. With his elite athleticism and tremendous instincts, Lewis can defend multiple positions and excels at creating turnovers. Additionally, he brings a great motor to the defensive end as he is working on each possession.
Offensively, Lewis is quite gifted as a three-level scorer. He can fill it up from anywhere on the court but is at his best in transition. This is where he can showcase his tremendous athleticism in getting up the court and finishing at the rim. There will be few better transition finishers in the country than Lewis this year.
Nembhard and Lewis could pair together to form a dynamic duo in the fast break.
Keyontae Johnson | 6-foot-5 | 231 lbs | Sophomore
Although Keyontae Johnson only measures in at 6-foot-5, he looks poised to take up the starting power forward role this season. Thankfully, the rising sophomore more than makes up for his lack of height with tremendous physicality and athleticism. Johnson proved throughout last season that he is one of the best rebounding forwards in the country and he does all the little things on the offensive end of the floor.
Although the least well-known of Florida’s core, Johnson is a player that can wreak havoc on opponents. He is a true glass-cleaner and boasts versatility with his quickness as well. Although just a sophomore, Johnson will be turned to as one of the leaders for the Gators this season. He averaged 8.1 points and 6.4 rebounds per game last season and can score at all three levels.
Florida will be trotting out a “small-ball” starting lineup and Johnson is the linchpin in allowing that to occur. Johnson’s versatility gives Coach White plenty of rotation options and that should not be undervalued.
Kerry Blackshear Jr. | 6-foot-10 | 241 lbs | Senior
Arguably the best graduate transfer on the market this offseason, Kerry Blackshear Jr. looks poised to play a pivotal role for Florida. In addition to being an experienced veteran that can bring leadership to the rotation, Blackshear is incredibly talented and could be a dark-horse contender for National Player of the Year. The 6-foot-10 forward is fresh off a superb campaign with Virginia Tech and should be a focal point for Florida this season.
He is a steady presence in the paint and that is something that has been missing for the Gators in recent years. When the going gets tough, they can just dump the ball down to him in the post and let him go to work. Additionally, Blackshear can stretch the floor out to 3-point range with some consistency.
He is a versatile threat on the offensive end and that was evident last season when he posted averages of 14.9 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. Blackshear will be Florida’s best true big man this year and he should be a solid mentor for the underclassmen behind him in the rotation.