Latest news with #FloridaGators
National Post
a day ago
- Sport
- National Post
Raptors draft undersized, high-flying defensive standout in second round
The Toronto Raptors certainly have a type. Small, extremely athletic and a give-no-quarter, lock-you-down defender, come on down. Article content The latest example came in Thursday's second round of the 2025 NBA draft. Article content Article content The Raptors went for explosive athleticism with the 39th pick, opting for Alijah Martin, a five-year guard out of Florida. Martin spent his first four NCAA seasons for Florida Atlantic. Article content Martin is a high-flying but undersized guard who stands out as an excellent defender, one of the best perimeter defenders in the SEC. Martin has extensive big-game experience, having reached the NCAA Tournament semifinal in 2023 (he scored 26 points in a one-point loss to San Diego State), before winning it all for Florida this past season in the thrilling Gators win over Houston. Article content Toronto also opted for a defence-first, hard-nosed SEC player a day earlier, taking South Carolina's Collin Murray-Boyles ninth in the first round of the draft. Article content Team executives had said this week they looked closely at the NBA playoffs this year and how hard players on the last teams standing played and how they mostly excelled defensively. The question that kept coming up was could the guys the Raptors liked one day fit in in similar situations. They felt Murray-Boyles definitely could and while Martin is more of a role of the dice as players taken toward the middle of the second round often don't even make the NBA, he never takes a second off when he's on the court, similar to Jamal Shead, Toronto's pick at 45 last year. Article content Draft expert Sam Vecenie of The Athletic described Martin as 'Small by NBA standards, but makes up for it with power and athleticism. There may not be a better pound-for-pound athlete in the 2025 draft.' Article content Article content The Raptors roster now includes projected starters Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, Brandon Ingram, Scottie Barnes and Jakob Poeltl, plus Ja'Kobe Walter, Jamal Shead, Gradey Dick, Ochai Agbaji and Jonathan Mogbo on guaranteed deals. Murray-Boyles will bring that list to 11 before Summer League in Las Vegas next month. Article content Article content Jamison Battle is not on a guaranteed deal, but most likely it will end up guaranteed, Jared Rhoden is also unguaranteed, plus the team has two-way signees A.J. Lawson and Colin Castleton. Toronto technically could add another two-way player, be it Martin or someone else, and as many as two others on standard deals, though they could also roster as few as 14 next season because a full roster could take them into first apron luxury tax territory. As is, they'd be in the least punitive part of the luxury tax, though they'd have all season to get back under via trades. Article content
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former Florida Star Receives Exciting Update Before NBA Draft
Former Florida Star Receives Exciting Update Before NBA Draft originally appeared on Athlon Sports. It continues to be the year of the Florida Gators basketball program. Fresh off their third national championship victory in program history, Florida reloaded with elite talent through the transfer portal, headlined by the signing of two-time All-Ivy star guard Xaivian Lee. Joining Lee will be former Ohio Bobcats star forward AJ Brown. Florida Gators guard Walter Clayton Jr. (1) celebrates after winning the national championship game of the Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament at the Donnan-Imagn Images The duo will undoubtedly play a significant role in replacing the production following the departure of their elite backcourt, most notably consensus first-team All-American Walter Clayton Jr. Advertisement Clayton Jr. took home NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player honors last postseason after dominating in March Madness, scoring a combined 45 points in his team's final two games. Despite his short stature compared to modern NBA guards and his relatively older age, Clayton Jr. is continuing his incredible run well into his journey of becoming a professional basketball player. On Thursday, Graham Hall of 247Sports announced that Clayton Jr. had received an invitation to the 2025 NBA Draft's green room in New York City. An invitation to the green room usually coincides with the idea that the player will go in the first round. Clayton Jr. largely entered last season as an NBA afterthought but now projects as an intriguing plug-and-play guard. Clayton Jr. averaged 18.3 points per game last season while shooting 38% from deep. The Iona Gaels transfer earned a reputation for tough shot-making and an ability to carry an offense for an extended period. In the NBA Draft Combine, Clayton Jr. continued to show his shooting prowess, hitting 17 of his 25 shots in the three-point star drill. The combination of elite shooting performances, mainly in the March Madness Tournament, and a strong showing at the NBA Draft Combine likely played a significant role in Clayton Jr. earning a green room invitation. Related: Florida Makes Second Recruiting Splash on Monday This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 19, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Florida's NCAA Tournament Title Game Revealed to be Most-Watched Basketball Game of the Year
Florida's NCAA Tournament Title Game Revealed to be Most-Watched Basketball Game of the Year originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Florida Gators basketball program was must-watch TV last season, and the numbers back it up. Advertisement Last season, Florida posted a sparkling 36-4 record, winning their final 12 games — nine against ranked opponents — to secure their third national title in program history. The historic run, alongside the legitimacy of their competition, kept the basketball world enchanted. According to the College Basketball Report on Twitter, Florida participated in two of the most-viewed basketball games of the 2024-25 season. Notably, Florida's 65-63 win over the Houston Cougars was the most-watched basketball game of the year, garnering 18.1 million views and narrowly surpassing the 16.4 million viewers for Game 7 of the NBA Finals between the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder. Florida Gators.© Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images The fourth most-viewed basketball game of the season also involved the Gators. Their Final Four matchup against the Auburn Tigers drew 14.8 million watchers. Advertisement Auburn entered the game with an impeccable 32-5 record while housing SEC Player of the Year Johni Broome. Florida would catch fire late, winning 79-73. Still, the championship game against Houston captivated the nation, especially since their Big 12 foe had a 35-4 record and was fresh off a massive upset against the Cooper Flagg-led Duke Blue Devils. The two juggernauts engaged in a tightly contested back-and-forth, but the Gators used elite defense late to emerge victorious. 2025 marked the team's third title bout and their first since winning back-to-back championships under the guidance of head coach Billy Donovan and stars Al Horford and Joakim Noah in the mid-2000s. Related: College Basketball World Reacts to Xaivian Lee's $6 Million NIL Move This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 26, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
EA Sports ranks the Swamp just outside the top five in their toughest places to play
The Swamp is one of the loudest, rowdiest, most intimidating environments in all of college football–so why isn't it ranked higher? In its latest College Football 26 "Dynasty Deep Dive" feature, EA Sports unveiled the top 25 toughest stadiums to play in, with Ben Hill Griffin Stadium checking in at No. 7 overall. Advertisement The ranking puts the Florida Gators behind other SEC schools like the LSU Tigers (No. 1), Georgia Bulldogs (No. 4) and Alabama Crimson Tide (No. 5). While that's respectable company, many Gators fans would argue that Ben Hill Griffin Stadium deserves to be higher–especially considering its reputation for shaking with noise during prime-time games and high-stakes SEC showdowns. Night games in the Swamp, especially during rivalry weeks or title chases, have produced unforgettable moments and collapses by opposing quarterbacks. It's why coaches, players and media alike consistently rank Florida among the most brutal road trips in the nation. Here are the top 10 toughest places to play according to EA Sports. Top 10 toughest places to play according to EA Sports EA Sports College Football 26 release date information EA Sports College Football 26 releases July 10, with early access beginning July 7. The game marks another season of the beloved college football franchise, complete with real player likenesses, coaches and realistic stadium atmospheres. Advertisement 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. This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: EA Sports ranks the Swamp No. 7 in toughest stadiums list
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Rex Grossman says DJ Lagway was 'off the charts' in freshman season
Former Florida Gators quarterback Rex Grossman is all-in on DJ Lagway–and he wants to see Florida's offense go all-in, too. In comments provided to Swamp247 via an interview, Grossman praised Lagway's 2024 freshman season and expressed confidence in the rising sophomore as the Gators prepare to hand him the keys in 2025. "He played great and he showed that the games were not too big for him as a true freshman coming in there with all this hype," Grossman said. "As soon as he got his opportunity, he was off the charts." Last season, Lagway completed 59.9 percent of his 192 pass attempts for 1,915 yards, 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Grossman, who threw 77 touchdowns for Florida from 2000-2002 and finished as the 2001 Heisman Trophy runner-up, sees shades of Daunte Culpepper in Lagway's toughness and arm talent. "He's a tough guy to bring down, but he stays in the pocket, kind of like a Culpepper type," Grossman said. "People grabbing at his legs and he just kind of gets away a little bit and throws the ball on the money. I'm excited as a Florida Gator fan. We've got some pretty good wide receiver recruits and we won our last four or five games." Now with Lagway firmly entrenched as the Florida starter, Grossman believes the pressure shifts to head coach Billy Napier to design a system that maximizes his quarterback's talents. "(Napier) has to put (Lagway) in good situations," Grossman said. "I'd like to see them play a little up-tempo, maybe some zone-reads and things like, just throw everything at the defense the first month of the year and not try to sit back and be cautious." Grossman added that he wants to see Florida's play-calling "go all-out in September" with tempo changes, misdirection and aggression–anything to keep defenses off-balance. With spring behind them and fall camp ahead, Florida's future is riding on the arm of Lagway. The question now: Will the scheme be bold enough to match his ceiling? 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.
