Todd Golden’s third season in Gainesville had a rocky start but could not have ended better as the Gators became national champions for the third time in program history. An incredible year was capped off with that sensational run through the 2025 NCAA Tournament with this team leaving their mark on the sport. A few significant pieces from that championship aren’t in Florida any longer but this team still has juice to be a national contender next year.
All-American Walter Clayton Jr. exceeded any expectations in his time at Florida, while fellow transfer Alijah Martin starred in that backcourt. Fellow transfer guard Will Richard really built his career with the Gators while all three players averaged at least 13 points per game last season and will be missed. Fortunately, Florida does bring back major frontcourt talent, getting sophomores Reuben Chinyelu, Alex Condon, and Thomas Haugh back for their junior years next season.
A solid recruiting class included Top 20 talent CJ Ingram at small forward, but Golden’s transfer class right after a national championship also stands out. Three names have made their way to Gainesville to continue their collegiate careers and all three are new guards that fit in nicely to fill those departures. AJ Brown heads over after three solid years in Ohio’s backcourt while former Princeton point guard Xaivian Lee joins the Gators following a pair of standout seasons with the Tigers in the Ivy League. Expect major minutes from those two additions but even greater results from the third name, one familiar to SEC fans.
Boogie Fland was one of the top names available in the transfer portal and for many good reasons. The 6-2 point guard from the Bronx was a 5-star prospect who played for John Calipari at Arkansas last year. Fland averaged 13.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game before tearing his UCL in mid-January, though he would play in the NCAA Tournament for the Razorbacks two months later.
His raw talent was clearly on display during a great bounce back season for that Arkansas program. Fland is a playmaker with decent shooting figures who tracks as a future NBA point guard when his collegiate career is over. He steps into a major opportunity on the defending national champions, hoping to become the latest transfer guard to stand out like Clayton and Martin just did on the national stage.
Simply put, these additions make up for Florida’s losses in a major way. With that returning talent in the frontcourt, Golden and his staff did what they needed to build a backcourt that might still be one of the best in the nation. Each of these three new pieces have heightened expectations in Gainesville but a ton of eyes will be on Fland. He pulled out of the NBA Draft process; with a step forward as a sophomore could he get the Gators to another special season?