We continue our recruit and return series with the Florida Gators, who lost in the second round to Texas Tech. Here’s what next season could hold for Mike White and the Gators:
Possible 2018-19 starting five:
G: Andrew Nembhard (No. 30 in 2018 class)
G: Jalen Hudson (15.3 PPG)
G: KeVaughn Allen (11.3 PPG)
F: Keith Stone (8.9 PPG)
F: Kevarrius Hayes (4.9 PPG, 5.1 RPG)
Who is lost: White’s squad will part with a couple of talented guards. Egor Koulechov averaged 13.6 points per game this season and made more than 40 percent of his 3-point attempts after transferring from Rice. With his 6-foot-5, 200-pound frame, he allowed White to use a four-guard lineup and play Koulechov at combo forward without surrendering too much size. But the biggest loss is point guard Chris Chiozza (11.2 PPG, 6.1 APG), a veteran leader who has been a contributor for the past four years. It’s still unclear if John Egbunu (7.8 PPG, 1.5 BPG in 2016-17) will seek a sixth year of eligibility after missing all of 2017-18 due to a delayed rehab from a torn ACL.
Who is added: The SEC will have to deal with a collection of young shooters who will join a Florida team that made nearly 38 percent of its 3-pointers this season. Nembhard, a top-30 recruit in the 2018 class per ESPN.com, is a 6-foot-4 point guard with good court vision. His size will help Florida create more mismatches and maintain the four-guard frenzy White unleashed this season. Noah Locke, a top-100 shooting guard, made 46 percent of his shots from beyond the arc during the Nike EYBL summer circuit last year and could step in and contribute early, too. And Keyontae Johnson is a 6-foot-6 wing who can eventually work his way into the rotation, too. The bottom line is a team that’s losing a first-team all-SEC point guard and elite sharpshooter is replacing those players with top-100 talent that’s expected to blossom in the coming years.
What it means for next season: Small ball is the new trend in college basketball, and few teams will possess the personnel to play it as well as Florida in 2018-19. The Gators have to solve the loss of Chiozza, either with a youngster like Nembhard or a returnee who will slide into that role. They won’t replace Chiozza's leadership, but they can get his production from a combination of incoming players. And the talented recruiting trio the program has signed should help Florida maintain its momentum from this season. The Gators will be bigger and deeper next season, especially if Egbunu returns for a sixth year and Deaundrae Ballard matures into a more reliable scorer. White has successfully constructed a respectable supporting cast for returning stars Hudson and Allen. The Gators' relentless attack and top-40 offense should remain next season, and they’re adding enough size on the perimeter to maintain their spot as one of the top defensive teams in the country, too.
Trending: Up. Even if the Gators lose Egbunu, they’ll still replace two veteran guards with a top-15 recruiting class. Allen and Hudson seem destined to collect All-SEC honors and lead this team next season. Florida’s strength was its aggressive style, shooting ability and big wings this season. The Gators will have all of that and more in 2018-19.