Gators crack top 15 in ESPN’s too-early college basketball rankings
Several months still separate Florida basketball from its 2024-25 campaign but the early prognostications have already been bullish on the Orange and Blue this spring.
A majority of the preseason rankings have the Gators among their top 25 teams as Todd Golden continues to restore glory to a once proud program. ESPN staff writer Jeff Borzello is one of the latest members of the media to weigh in with his too-early top-25 rankings, in which he placed Florida at No. 15.
“Florida struck gold in the portal last spring and has already reeled in three transfers this year,” Bozello begins. “The Gators also have All-American candidate, and one of the nation’s top scorers, Walter Clayton Jr. — if he decides to withdraw from the NBA draft — and Will Richard is a double-figure scorer.
“Former Florida Atlantic star Alijah Martin will slot in seamlessly. Todd Golden should have plenty of frontcourt options too: Alex Condon and Thomas Haugh are back, while Sam Alexis (Chattanooga) and Rueben Chinyelu (Washington State) have arrived.”
Borzello’s ranking also assumes a starting lineup consisting of Clayton Jr., Martin, Richard, Chinyelu and Alex Condon.
Other Southeastern Conference schools included in the rankings are the Alabama Crimson Tide (No. 6), Texas A&M Aggies (No. 11), Auburn Tigers (No. 12), Tennessee Volunteers (No. 18), Texas Longhorns (No. 20) and Arkansas Razorbacks (No. 25).
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