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Jeff Goodman: Florida forward Alex Condon will withdraw from the NBA Draft and return to the Gators, source told @TheFieldOf68 . Gators will start the season somewhere in the Preseason Top 5 and have a legit chance to go back-to-back.
Me’Arah O’Neal, the youngest daughter of NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal, on Sunday signed a National letter of Intent to play college basketball for the Gators. She chose Florida over defending national champion LSU (her father’s alma mater), among other schools.
As a member of the Florida Gators in 2020, Johnson, 23, collapsed on the court against Florida State and spent three days in a medically induced coma. He was diagnosed with a heart condition, but he eventually was cleared to play again and landed at Kansas State, where he was voted the 2023 Big 12 Conference Newcomer of the Year.
Georgia Southern men's basketball coach Charlie Henry announced today that he has named Marreese Speights an assistant coach for the Eagle program. Speights is one of 33 players in the history of men's basketball to win a national title in college and a professional title. He won a national title as a member of the Florida Gators in 2007 and an NBA Championship as a member of the Golden State Warriors in 2015. "I'm extremely excited to add Mo Speights to the Georgia Southern basketball family," said Henry. "Mo has won at the highest levels of basketball throughout his playing career, and I'm beyond excited that he will have the opportunity to share his championship experience with our current and future players. On top of that, Mo is an incredible person and teammate with a passion for coaching and mentorship, which he has displayed during and after his playing career. We are extremely fortunate to have Mo joining us!"
Florida forward Colin Castleton will forgo the NBA Draft and return to the Gators’ program for his fifth year of eligibility, he announced Monday. Castleton averaged a team-leading 16.2 points, 9 rebounds and 2.2 blocks last season, helping Florida to a 20-14 record and an NIT appearance.
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Over two months after initially declaring for the 2020 NBA Draft, point guard Tre Mann has decided to return the Florida Gators for his sophomore season. Mann has withdrawn from the draft with his sights set on a second year at Florida under head coach Mike White, he announced Tuesday.
Their playing careers at Florida did not overlap, but Noah wanted Parsons to play for the Gators anyway, and the two stayed close. So close that, over a decade later, Parsons flipped the original script on their relationship and played the role of recruiter as Noah mulled his return to the NBA. Even while dealing with his own persistent knee troubles, Parsons stayed on Noah about signing with the Grizzlies. "I was like, ‘if you still love basketball, this is a great place to kind of get back on track and prove yourself,'" Parsons said. "It took a little convincing, but it was fun. I’m glad he’s here. He’s one of my best friends in the world. So I’m excited he’s here and we’re here together.”
The Oklahoma City Thunder coach delivered a clear message about dealing with adversity. Donovan used an example from his time in Gainesville, when the defending national champion Gators dropped three of four down the stretch in 2007 — all by double digits — and then regrouped in the postseason by winning 10 straight and the second of back-to-back titles. "I thought there were a lot of similarities," O'Sullivan said. "I think he was really helpful."
It’s been a busy offseason for Corey Brewer, who had his high school’s court named after him and threw out the first pitch for Lakers Night at Dodger Stadium. But his biggest honor is yet to come, as the 31-year-old will be inducted into the University of Florida Hall of Fame on Sept. 15 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Brewer was one of the top players in the country during his time at UF, helping the Gators to back-to-back national championships in 2006 and 2007.
As Florida searched for a new head coach, they identified one specific target, as their top choice: the legendary Becky Hammon. While on the surface, it looked as if joining the Gators was a perfect fit for Hammon — she thought about taking it for a few days — Hammon has decided she will not take the coaching position at Florida. Instead, she will remain an assistant coach with the San Antonio Spurs under Gregg Popovich.
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But Billy D has never coached a day in the NBA, even as an assistant. He had an opportunity with the Orlando Magic but famously returned to the Gators a day after signing a contract to coach the Magic. Still Collison says Donovan will have the respect of Thunder players unless he shows he doesn't deserve it. "As a player, you're gonna respect your coach whoever it is especially at the start, until there's a reason not too."
Presti’s trip to Gainesville is of particular interest given his track record with the Gators coaching staff. Last summer, Presti hired two Gators assistants: Mark Daigneault as head coach of the Oklahoma City Blue and Oliver Winterbone as an analyst. Presti also is believed to have a close relationship with Donovan, who on several occasions has expressed interest in making a jump to the NBA.
Donovan and Presti have become friends over the years, and Presti's analytical influence has worn off on the Gators coach, who has progressively become more interested in advanced statistics. In fact, Presti has hired two members of Donovan's staff in the last 12 months -- assistant Mark Daigneault to coach OKC's D-League team, and video coordinator Oliver Winterbone to serve as a basketball information analyst. Another thing Presti values is continuity between the NBA franchise and its D-League affiliate, which last year moved from Tulsa to Oklahoma City. He also values information, plenty of which he's no doubt gotten about Donovan through employing his former assistants for almost a year.
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