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Tony Jones: Per league sources, former University of Florida star Will Richard worked out for the Utah Jazz today. That workout included former Utah State star Ian Martinez
Speaking on a recent episode of the "Hoop Collective" podcast, senior ESPN reporter Tim Bontemps suggested that the University of Florida alum could seriously consider decamping to the Knicks this offseason given Horford is a free agency with a murky future with Boston after the Achilles tendon tear to star Celtics forward Jayson Tatum threw a monkey wrench into Boston's short-term contention window. "Al Horford is a free agent," said Bontemps. "I don't think at this point it makes a lot of sense for ... Horford to be back in Boston. Maybe he will be, but given where things are with the Celtics, I think he's now much more in play than he might have been a month ago." "Horford is a longtime friend of (Karl-Anthony Towns and) has played with him with the Dominican National team for a long time," added the ESPN analyst. "If they go get Al Horford this summer, who I think would be an unbelievable fit on this Knicks roster."
Florida center Rueben Chinyelu will return to UF for his junior season after exploring the NBA's pre-Draft process, Swamp247 has learned.
Florida center Rueben Chinyelu, who played a prominent role for the Gators’ national championship team, has declared for the NBA Draft, he announced Thursday via X. He has, however, left open the option to return to UF.
Florida sophomore forward Alex Condon will test the NBA Draft waters with an opportunity to return to UF for his junior season, UF head coach Todd Golden said after the Gators' national championship celebration.
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Jason Beede: #Maigc’s Paolo Banchero was asked about Duke’s Final Four loss and tonight’s game between UF and Houston: “I could care less who wins tonight. Saturday was a tough one to watch. Feel for my guys but credit to Houston for not giving up. Congratulations to whoever wins tonight.” pic.x.com/yNz750xidY
As personnel goes, USF men’s basketball has enjoyed a prosperous week. Five days after his new six-year deal was announced, USF men’s basketball coach Amir Abdur-Rahim announced that St. Petersburg’s Marreese Speights, who won an NCAA title (with the University of Florida) and NBA crown (with Golden State), has been hired as the Bulls’ new director of player development.
Florida basketball starting combo guard Walter Clayton Jr. announced on a social media post on Monday that he's testing the NBA Draft waters with an option to return to UF for his senior season.
Shaunie O'Neal wants her hoops star daughter, Me'Arah, to stay in school as looooong as possible ... telling TMZ Sports the NIL cash is way better than a WNBA salary! Depending on the athlete, there's a ton of money to be made at the collegiate level thanks to the "Name, Image and Likeness" rules ... with a reported $917 million in deals being made in the first year alone. With Shaq and Shaunie's 17-year-old daughter, one of the best high school players in the country, heading to the University of Florida next year, her mom tells us the money's SO good she (and other young women) should wait as long as possible before going pro. "For the women, for sure, hold on to your college career and NIL money," O'Neal told us at LAX.
Nearly three years ago, Finney-Smith explained his father’s circumstances to Lutin, a fellow University of Florida graduate who also holds a law degree from that school. Lutin spent months gathering background about the case and helping Dorian explore legal and political avenues. They turned to Kilgore, Virginia’s 2005 Republican nominee for governor and a partner with the law firm Cozen O’Connor. He met with Elbert Smith in Virginia’s Wallens Ridge supermax prison and offered to represent him pro bono. That was more than two years ago. In Virginia and other case-backlogged states, it takes months and sometimes years for prisoners to have their parole cases considered.
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Trading Bradley Beal would allow the Wizards’ new executives to retool the team they inherited and potentially add some draft capital. Beal, whom the Wizards drafted third in 2012 out of the University of Florida, has never advanced beyond the second round of the playoffs in his 11-year pro career.
These are the final days of Udonis Haslem’s career, and the soon-to-be 43-year-old veteran is shifting his focus from basketball to social issues in his home state of Florida. Haslem is completely invested in Florida. He grew up in Miami, attended Miami Senior High School and the University of Florida. He’s spent 20 years with the Miami Heat and he’s very protective of what those who don’t live in Florida say about Florida, especially now. As Governor Ron DeSantis prepares his 2024 Presidential bid with a strong stance on the elimination of diversity and inclusion and the elimination of minority- and LGBTQ-based books from the school curriculum, Haslem felt inclined to speak out against those beliefs, stressing that all Floridians do not support DeSantis’s opinions.
Hampton’s also in the process of figuring out which agency he’s going to sign with next. He signed with LIFT Sports Management, founded by former UF and Magic guard/forward Mike Miller and CEO Donnie McGrath in the summer of 2020, as the agency’s first signing after playing for the New Zealand Breakers of the National Basketball League in 2019-20. He started the process of leaving the agency in late October. Through it all, the short-term and long-term uncertainties, Hampton keeps his focus on what he can control — the work. “I’m going to stay in the gym, stay working and I know I got God on my side,” he said. “Whatever happens should be in my favor.”
R.J. Hampton is in the process of parting ways with LIFT Sports Management, the agency founded by former UF and Magic guard/forward Mike Miller and CEO Donnie McGrath in the summer of 2020, a source told the Sentinel. He was the agency’s first signing.
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