Latest news with #Gator
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Florida's Will Richard picked by Golden State Warriors, making three Gators drafted
They often say that the "third is the charm" and even that "three is a magic number", while the Romans had the triumvirate of leaders. For the Florida basketball program, good things came in threes during the 2025 NBA draft as its entire starting backcourt found a new home in the professional ranks during the two-day event. The final former Gator to hear his name called was swingman Will Richard, who was picked by the Golden State Warriors with the No. 56 pick, just barely making it into the 59 selections this week. Most experts had him as an undrafted free agent signing ahead of the draft, but instead, he exceeded expectations to ensure that every Florida alumnus in the draft heard their name called. In fact, the Warriors traded up to the No. 56 selection with the Memphis Grizzlies to ensure that Richard was still available. It was the first time since 2007 that the Orange and Blue saw three or more of its products drafted in the same year — and only the third time ever that it has happened. Five Gators were taken that year, starting with forward/center Al Horford, forward/center Joakim Noah and wing Corey Brewer in the first round, followed by forward Chris Richard and guard Tauren Green in the second round. The 6-foot-4-inch, 206-pounder averaged 13.3 points on 48.7% shooting from the field overall (35.9% from 3-point range), 4.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.7 steals per game in 2024-25. During his three seasons in Gainesville, Richard averaged 11.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.2 steals per game over 108 appearances and 105 starts, shooting 46.2% from the field and 36.3% from beyond the arc. The Fairburn, Georgia, native opened up his collegiate career with the Belmont Bruins, averaging 12.1 points, six rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.2 steals in 33 games (30 starts) as a freshman before moving on to Florida. 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
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
49ers WR explains what will change for him after Deebo Samuel was traded
The San Francisco 49ers made some changes to their wide receiver room this offseason, sending Deebo Samuel to the Washington Commanders for a fifth-round pick, signing Demarcus Robinson, drafting Jordan Watkins and Junior Bergen and losing Chris Conley to retirement. On top of that movement, San Francisco may be without star wideout Brandon Aiyuk to start the season after he tore his ACL, MCL and meniscus in a 28-18 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 7 last year. With that, someone will need to step up early in the 2025 season, and that could be second-year wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, who is preparing like he's already the top guy on San Francisco's depth chart. "My mindset has not changed at all. I'm going to attack it the exact same way I always have," Pearsall said on a recent episode of "49ers Talk" with NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco. "No matter what place I'm at, no matter what the coach tells me, I still have that wide receiver 1 mindset. That's just how I was raised. I've always been a hard worker. My parents raised me that way, and I've always had that same mindset no matter what position you're in. That's just how I attack my life in general. "What makes our room really cool is that everyone has that mindset. [There's] very healthy competition in there and it makes everybody better. I'm excited to see what our receiver room can do this year because I'm still very confident in that." The 49ers took the 24-year-old in the first round (No. 31 overall) of the 2024 NFL draft out of Florida, and after he missed the start of his rookie year due to taking a gunshot to the chest, Pearsall finished with 31 receptions for 400 yards and three touchdowns in 11 games. This year, Pearsall has plenty of challengers for that top spot in the wide receiver room, including Robinson, Watkins and Jauan Jennings. However, the former Gator should have the highest ceiling of the trio. More 49ers: 49ers WR laughs at offseason trade talks as he recovers from season-ending injury
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Here's where CBS Sports expects these two Gators to go in upcoming 2025 NBA draft
The 2025 NBA draft is nearly here, and ahead of Wednesday night's start to the festivities, fans of the Florida basketball program are waiting with bated breath to see where some of their departing national champions might land among the professional ranks. Star guard Walter Clayton Jr. is a consensus pick to be taken among the first 30 selections in the first round, while fellow guard Alijah Martin has been projected for the second round. Florida's former swingman Will Richard is also available in the draft, but so far has not had much traction among the 59 predicted picks. So, where will these Gator alumni land? CBS Sports writer Kyle Boone offers his final salvo of the pre-draft season with these two predictions. Walter Clayton Jr.: No. 20, Miami Heat "Few teams have as much up-close exposure to Clayton Jr., a Florida native who played at Florida the last two seasons and led the team to the national title this spring. He's a dynamic shot-maker who can add versatility scoring on dribble jumpers and could elevate Miami's backcourt." Alijah Martin: No. 48, Memphis Grizzlies "Martin played a key role in leading two teams (FAU in 2023 and Florida in 2025) to the Final Four and helped the Gators clinch the title earlier this year. He's a big leaper who is a career 36.4% 3-point shooter." 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
5 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Jac Caglianone goes deep, former Gators stay hot in weekly MLB update
With the MLB season nearing the halfway point, several former Florida Gators are making some noise. Whether it's power, pitching or plate presence, Florida's alumni are showing up and impacting the game in meaningful ways. Pete Alonso continues to anchor the Mets lineup with his signature power stroke, while Jac Caglianone is flashing the kind of raw talent that made him a high draft pick. Wyatt Langford is trending in the right direction after a rocky start to June, and Brady Singer has quietly become a workhorse in Cincinnati. Meanwhile, veterans Harrison Bader and Jonathan India are trying to shake off recent slumps and find their footing again. Here's how each of them performed over the past week. Pete Alonso: First Baseman, New York Mets Last 7 Games: .222 AVG | .276 OBP | .333 SLG | 1 HR | 2 RBI | 2 BB 2025 Season: .290 AVG | .385 OBP | .941 OPS | 18 HR | 64 RBI Alonso cooled off at the plate over the past week, hitting just .222 across 27 at-bats, but still managed to leave the yard once and drive in two runs. Despite the dip in average, the former Gator remains a dangerous threat in the heart of the Mets' lineup and continues to draw walks and hit the ball hard. The Polar Bear sits just under the .300 mark for the season and has already slugged 18 home runs. With All-Star voting heating up, Alonso remains one of the premier power bats in the National League and a steady presence as New York pushes to stay in playoff contention. Jac Caglianone: Outfielder, Kansas City Royals Last 7 Games: .167 AVG | .259 OBP | .458 SLG | 2 HR | 2 RBI | 2 BB 2025 Season: .203 AVG | .250 OBP | .594 OPS | 2 HR | 4 RBI Caglianone broke through in a big way last week with the first two home runs of his professional career. He didn't rack up a lot of hits, but when he did connect, he made them count. The power that made him a Florida baseball legend is now flashing on the big-league stage. The Royals are still managing expectations with their rookie slugger, but signs are pointing in the right direction. If Caglianone continues to adjust to MLB pitching and improves his approach, his natural pop could quickly make him a fixture in Kansas City's lineup. Wyatt Langford: Outfielder, Texas Rangers Last 7 Games: .286 AVG | .355 OBP | .357 SLG | 1 RBI | 1 BB 2025 Season: .237 AVG | .316 OBP | .750 OPS | 13 HR | 31 RBI | 11 SB Langford turned in a solid bounce-back week at the plate, collecting eight hits and raising his average back toward the .240 mark. The former Florida star continues to show improved plate discipline and manages to get on base consistently while limiting strikeouts. The Rangers are encouraged by his upward trend after a mid-June slump. Langford's blend of speed and power remains one of Texas' biggest weapons, and with the summer heat arriving, the sophomore outfielder could be poised for a strong second half as the ball starts flying across the league. Harrison Bader: Outfielder, Minnesota Twins Last 7 Games: .211 AVG | .286 OBP | .421 SLG | 1 HR | 3 RBI | 0 SB 2025 Season: .257 AVG | .344 OBP | .766 OPS | 7 HR | 27 RBI | 7 SB Bader added another home run this week and drove in three runs, but the rest of his offensive line remained modest. He's still struggling to string together hits consistently, though his plate appearances have shown improvement in terms of patience and contact. While the offensive production remains streaky, Bader's glove continues to be a major asset for Minnesota. His ability to track down fly balls in center field and make difficult plays look routine is keeping him in the lineup, even as the bat seeks more consistency. Jonathan India: Infielder, Kansas City Royals Last 7 Games: .143 AVG | .143 OBP | .286 SLG | 1 HR | 4 RBI | 1 BB 2025 Season: .238 AVG | .315 OBP | .646 OPS | 4 HR | 22 RBI It was a rough week for India, who posted just four hits in 28 at-bats while striking out five times. The lone bright spot was a home run, his fourth of the season, and a four-RBI stretch that kept him marginally productive in an otherwise cold spell. India remains a leader in the Royals' clubhouse, and Kansas City will need his experience as the young roster continues to develop. A more consistent approach at the plate could boost both his numbers and his value as a key piece in the lineup down the stretch. Brady Singer: Starting Pitcher, Cincinnati Reds Last 3 Starts: 3-0 | 3.23 ERA | 39.0 IP | 32 H | 14 BB | 28 SO 2025 Season: 7-5 | 4.13 ERA | 80.2 IP | 67 SO | 1.30 WHIP Singer continued his impressive June with another strong start, going six innings against the St. Louis Cardinals and allowing just one earned run with seven strikeouts. He's now won three straight outings and has become a stabilizing force in the Reds' rotation. The former Gator has quietly put together a solid season. With a 4.13 ERA and growing confidence on the mound, Singer is giving the Reds exactly what they need from a dependable starting pitcher in a tight NL Central race. 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.
Miami Herald
7 days ago
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Florida Football Preview 2025: Billy Napier Has His Best Gator Team Yet - But Is It Enough?
Florida is supposed to be playing for national the program of Spurrier, and Urban, and Tebow, and fun, and 'n', and gun, and spread, and Wuerffel - and basketball national titles - and Billy Napier was and is supposed to be the guy who came in and got everything back to rough has it been? Starting with the final season under Dan Mullen, the 26 losses mark the worst four-year run of Gator football since 1978 to 1981, and there was a 0-10-1 campaign in that mix. X CFN, Fiu | CFN Facebook | Bluesky Fiu, CFN Florida Offense BreakdownFlorida Defense BreakdownSeason Prediction, Win Total, Keys to SeasonBefore last year, the three straight losing seasons were the first time that happened since a stretch from 1945 to 1947. And following a 49-17 loss to Texas in mid-November, Florida appeared to be destined for its first four-season losing run since the then the offense clicked, the defense didn't allow more than 17 points in any of the final four games, Napier came up with a strong recruiting class, and now there's hope again that the big production is about to first, Florida just has to get closer to the pin against the good teams. This is the best squad yet under Napier. It was rebuilt to this point with a strong combination of depth, youth, and talent. There weren't any major losses through the transfer portal that can't be fixed, and there weren't a ton of players coming in other than to patch a few lines are strong, there's a rising superstar at quarterback in DJ Lagway, and the kicking game might be the best in the SEC. But the team needs to be in more tight games to let the special teams be the of the 19 losses under Napier, 12 of them were by double-digits, including four of the five defeats last year. And that's where the bar should be set. Of course Florida needs to be good enough to be a regular in the College Football Playoff, and of course Napier needs to do more, but out of those 19 losses under Napier, 13 were against the elite of the elite that finished with ten wins or this year's schedule might be the toughest of the again, it's Florida. It's supposed to be one of those elites among elites that take down all of the other good programs. It might not happen this year, but 2025 has to be the final season before it does. Florida Offense BreakdownFlorida Defense BreakdownSeason Prediction, Win Total, Keys to Season © 2025 The Arena Group Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved.
