Latest news with #AlexCondon
USA Today
14-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Florida basketball adds guard Alex Kovatchev to roster via transfer portal
Florida basketball added to its 2025-26 roster with the commitment of former Sacramento State Hornets guard Alex Kovatchev through the NCAA transfer portal on Monday. With that acquisition, the program's final scholarship spot has been filled. The 6-foot-5-inch, 190-pound backcourt player originally from Perth, Australia — the same city that Gators forward/center Alex Condon hails from down under — appeared in 33 games (12 starts) during his freshman campaign two years ago, averaging 5.0 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists per contest in 22.8 minutes per game. Last season, a leg injury limited him to just four starts, averaging 8.5 points and 5.0 rebounds in 25.2 minutes per game before he was shut down. Speaking of Condon and Kovatchev, the two hoopsters earned a gold medal on Western Australia's U20 team in 2023. The former scored 24 points while grabbing nine rebounds, while the latter amassed 20 points and six rebounds in the championship game. Before the latest addition to the team, Todd Golden had mentioned his desire to find that one final piece to the puzzle for the coming campaign. 'I think we have a great group right now, and my hope is that with this last spot, we'll be able to find more of a developmental type of player, a guy that'll come on and be happy to learn behind some guys,' he noted back in May. 'So we're not going to rush. But if that turns out to be a European player, I'd be very happy with that as well.' I guess he will have to settle for an Australian with a European name. Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
USA Today
30-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Bleacher Report has 3 Florida Gators going in 2026 NBA first round mock draft
Bleacher Report NBA draft insider Jonathan Wasserman tried his hand at projecting the 2026 draft a year ahead of time, and he has the same three Florida Gators going in the first round that ESPN included on its way-too-early big board: Alex Condon, Boogie Fland and Thomas Haugh. Condon and Haugh were two critical pieces of the frontcourt that helped Florida win a national championship last season, and Fland is one of two big-name transfers brought in to replace the Big 3 backcourt that just got drafted. The goal is to repeat as national champions, and Todd Golden has once again worked the transfer portal to apparent perfection. If Bleacher Report's projections come to fruition, Florida will see six players drafted in two years after just two over the previous decade. No. 24 New York Knicks: Alex Condon (Florida, C) Condon already had first-round projections floating with his name by the time SEC play got going, but a second-half injury slowed him down a bit and made him a fringe first-round pick. After testing the draft waters, Condon is returning as the unquestioned leader of this Gators team. If he continues to develop, he could be the program's second All-American in as many seasons. "Alex Condon generated first-round buzz this past year with his athletic finishing, defensive activity, passing and shooting flashes," Wasserman said. "He'll return to the defending champs, presumably with a large offensive role that he'll want to use for showing more self-creation and three-point range." 28. Cleveland Cavaliers: Thomas Haugh (Florida, PF) Haugh could see some time at the three as a bigger wing, especially if he continues shooting from 3-point distance, but Bleacher Report is listing him as a power forward right now. Assuming Haugh steps into a starting role, he'll have to learn to pace himself a bit more, but he was already playing near-starter minutes off the bench in a sixth man role last season. "Thomas Haugh's 20-point, 11-rebound game against Texas Tech in the NCAA tournament shone a light on his big-man versatility that the NBA covets. The 6'9" forward has clear three-point shooting range as well as more offensive skill to put the ball down, score on the move and pass." The most exciting thing about Haugh is that he hasn't come close to reaching his full potential. There were flashes in the NCAA Tournament last season, but he was still improving from the Final Four to the championship game. Haugh could be the biggest riser over a calendar year in the draft class if he continues on the same trajectory. 30. Washington Wizards (via Thunder): Boogie Fland (Florida, PG) Fland also had draft prospects this year after one season with Arkansas. He spent much of the year injured and attempted a return for the playoffs. With the two other Gators already established on the roster, Fland has a chance to break out as the dark horse candidate of this group. He already holds a second-round grade. Playing with Condona and Haugh could help him the same way it helped Walter Clayton Jr."Viewed as a second-round pick just a month ago, Boogie Fland will have a better chance to sell himself next season with Florida. He's in a good spot to focus on playmaking for teammates, though scouts will still want to see more efficiency finishing around the basket. Otherwise, Fland should still look like an appealing change-of-pace guard prospect with translatable creativity and shotmaking." Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
Forbes
20-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
NIL Money Sways Some Potential NBA Draft Picks To Stay In School
NBA or NIL? Yaxel Landeborg's decision to remain in college is a recent trend. (Photo by Michael ... More Wade/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) The 2025 NBA Draft does not look much different at the very top this year than in other years, where the projected stars reside. Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper sit there now. The overall pool for the June 25-26 draft, however, is considered to be one of the weakest in recent years, with the decline most evident in the lower third of the first round, picks No. 21-30. Blame/credit NIL. The benefits available to top college athletes through their name, image and likeness earnings — plus another year of a college scholarship — appear to be major factors in motivating some potential lower level first-rounders to stay on campus. Florida's Alex Condon (21) returned for a second shot at the Final Four (AP Photo/Eric Gay) Florida forward Alex Condon, Florida transfer guard Boogie Fland, Michigan transfer forward Yaxel Lendeborg, Auburn guard Tahaad Pettiford and Houston forward Milos Uzan are among those who pulled their name from the list of early draft entrants just before the June 15 deadline. Stay In College, Still Get Paid 'Now these kids can go to college and get paid,' an unnamed NBA agent told ESPN while discussing the 2025 draft, 'and most of these kids would prefer to go to college and play in March Madness and do these things, if all things are equal.' Add the NIL money to the factors that a player who declares for the draft while retaining the college eligibility must consider. The NBA can provide players generalized feedback on where they might fall in the draft. Late in the first round. Early second round. Etc. Before, those evaluations may not matter to a motivated player. After leaving Arkansas, Boogie Fland abandoned the NBA draft and agreed to a $2.1 million NIL deal ... More with Florida. (Photo/Michael Woods) Now, the NIL money adds another element. Lendeborg is a prime example. After playing two seasons at Arizona Western junior college and two more at UAB, he entered the transfer portal in March and chose to attend Michigan while at the same time keeping his name in the draft pool. Considered considered a potential late-first rounder or early second-rounder, Lendeborg pulled his name and has an NIL deal with the Wolverines worth $2.3 million, according on On3, which monitors NIL forces. Fland, a transfer from Arkansas, has a $2.1 million NIL deal in place with defending national champion Florida, according to On3. Condon had 12 points and secured the game-winning rebound in the Gators' 65-63 NCAA championship victory over Houston. His NIL deal with the collective Florida Victorious was not announced. The Money Has Evened Things Out 'One of the huge benefits of the NIL world, you don't have to sacrifice for maybe as tough of a fiscal decision between going pro or staying now,' Florida coach Todd Golden said at the SEC spring meetings. 'Fortunately, he's positioned himself nicely that way.' The money has evened things out. NBA rookies sign four-year contracts that are determined on a sliding scale by when they were taken in the draft, and the figures are out for the 2025 draft class. Most contracts are guaranteed. The stated value of the No. 1 pick — Flagg — is $62,730,226 for his first four seasons, according to Sportico, with a starting salary of $13.8 million in 2025-26. There also is some wiggle room as players can sign for as low as 80 percent of a high as 120 percent of their allotted figure. By the late first round, however, the college and NBA money is relatively the same. The No. 25 pick in the 2025 draft is scheduled to earn $2.99 million in his rookie year. The No. 30 pick is to earn $2.74 million. Moreover, contracts for players taken in the second round are not automatically guaranteed and are not governed by the rookie scale. Sacramento's Colby Jones signed the largest contact among second-rounders last season, at $8.8 million for four years. Lendeborg and Fland are being paid in the same range to stay in college, which also has its benefits. They and others like them will get another shot at an NCAA title, and they also have a chance to increase their standing in the next draft (or several) depending on their 2025-26 performance. Uzan played in the NCAA title game a year ago, Auburn was No. 1 most of the season and Michigan made the Sweet Sixteen. For a player not in the lottery or close to it, a decision to stay can look like a win-win.
Yahoo
15-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Insiders boost Florida basketball's repeat chances after NBA Draft decisions
The post Insiders boost Florida basketball's repeat chances after NBA Draft decisions appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Florida basketball team just won the national championship last month, and now the Gators are thinking about how they can do it again next season. There were a lot of question marks regarding what kind of talent Florida would get back for next season, and after the NBA Draft withdraw deadline, the team appears to be in great shape. Advertisement From big-time transfers choosing the Florida basketball team to guys like Alex Condon deciding to return, the offseason is off to a great start. In fact, ESPN's Jeff Borzello tabbed the Gators as one of the biggest winners from the NBA Draft withdraw deadline. 'Florida was one,' Borzello said. 'There were other winners, certainly — including Houston (Milos Uzan), Michigan (Lendeborg), Auburn (Tahaad Pettiford) and Kentucky (Otega Oweh) — but the Gators went from a borderline top-20 team to a legitimate contender to open the season as the No. 1 team with a real chance to win back-to-back titles. Florida was the beneficiary of Fland's withdrawal, as the Arkansas transfer ultimately committed to the Gators a week after making his decision. Then Alex Condon, a fringe first-round pick, also withdrew to return to Gainesville. With both officially in the fold, coach Todd Golden has as good a starting five as there is in college basketball.' This Florida basketball team isn't going to be the same as it was last year, and other players are going to have to step up. However, the pieces are there for the Gators to once again contend for a national championship. 'As I mentioned above, Florida ascends into the preseason No. 1 conversation as a result of their decisions. The Gators have a different roster construction from a year ago, when there were more clearly defined roles and arguably better balance and depth throughout the roster. But now Golden has two shot creators and shotmakers in [Boogie] Fland and Princeton transfer Xaivian Lee in the backcourt, and one of the best — certainly the biggest — frontcourt in the country with 6-11 Condon, 6-9 Thomas Haugh, 6-10 Rueben Chinyeluand 7-1 Micah Handlogten handling the lion's share of minutes.' It can be hard to keep players around after winning it all as some guys like to go out on top, but Florida has done a great job getting some of its best talent to return to Gainesville. On top of that, the Gators landed a couple of the best players in the transfer portal. All in all, it has been a successful offseason so far, and Florida has the talent to win another national championship.
USA Today
04-06-2025
- General
- USA Today
Key details revealed for Florida-Florida State basketball showdown
Key details revealed for Florida-Florida State basketball showdown Florida basketball fans can officially mark their calendars: The annual rivalry matchup with the Florida State Seminoles is set. According to CBS Sports insider Jon Rothstein, the Florida Gators will host the Seminoles on Tuesday, Nov. 11 in Gainesville, continuing one of the most anticipated non-conference showdowns on the college basketball calendar. This early-season clash comes with major intrigue for both programs. The Gators are fresh off a national championship and returns a reloaded roster featuring Alex Condon, Thomas Haugh, Xaivian Lee and Boogie Fland. Head coach Todd Golden will look to extend Florida's recent dominance in the rivalry, having won four straight over the Seminoles. The most recent meeting between the two came on Nov. 15, 2024, when the Gators left Tallahassee with a convincing 87-74 victory. Now, with the game returning to Gainesville, Florida has the opportunity to extend their win streak to five games–a streak that would further solidify their in-state supremacy. The full 2025-26 schedule for Florida basketball is expected to be released in August, but this matchup is already one of the most highly anticipated games on the docket. Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
