Class of 2024 commit John Bol capped off what ended up being a huge week for Florida Basketball. Who else did the program land in the past few weeks?
The past week for Florida Basketball was very important, both when it comes to transfers and the high school recruiting trail. Here’s a look at who the Gators landed.
Zyon Pullin – Transfer PG from UC Riverside
The starting point guard and Big West all-star led the team with 18.3 ppg and 4.2 apg, shooting 49% from the field and 39% from three-point range. His season-high performances include 30 points against San Diego and 28 points and 10 rebounds against Cal Poly.
Florida’s starting point guard before Pullin‘s arrival was going to be Walter Clayton Jr. a talented scorer from Iona but wasn’t a true facilitator. Now, the team has two good guards to run the offense and allows Riley Kugel and Will Richard to stay primarily off-ball.
Julian Rishwain – Transfer SG from San Francisco
After starting his career at Boston College, the 6’5 shooting guard spent his last three years at San Francisco, averaging around 7.0 ppg off the bench on 37% three-point shooting, though he only made just 24% this past season. As a team, the Gators shot just 31% from deep last season, good for 322nd nationally. If Rishwain gets back to his junior form, he’ll be a nice piece off the bench in limited minutes to space the floor.
John Bol – Top-25 C in 2024 recruiting class
Replacing Colin Castleton will take multiple players but Florida Basketball did land Marshall transfer Micah Handlogten. But just in case he’s not ready for the SEC, they have Bol, a 7’2 center and near five-star prospect. He’s an outstanding floor runner and rim protector. He’ll be a good defensive anchor and will be able to split the 40 mpg with Handlogten at the five-spot.
This is the kind of roster that Florida Basketball can compete for both now and later in the SEC. It’s a good offseason for Coach Todd Golden and the staff overall and if these three newcomers can have a big impact, the program will get back close to the NCAA Tournament.