Ranking Gators hoops in SEC based on returning, departing players

The expansion of the Southeastern Conference has dominated the news for football but the additions of the Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners also have implications for other sports, like basketball. The league proved a powerhouse on the parquet last season and appears poised for another strong run this winter.

The Athletic’s Kyle Tucker took a look at the 16-member conference now that the dust has ostensibly settled from the big change, ranking each program based on several factors, including biggest player losses and additions, returning rotation players, top-100 freshmen added and top-100 transfers added.

In Tucker’s assessment, the Florida Gators ranked seventh — behind the sixth-ranked Kentucky Wildcats and ahead of the eighth-ranked Arkansas Razorbacks.

“Six of the top nine players, including All-SEC guard (Walter) Clayton, are back from a 24-win team that reached the SEC championship game and made the NCAA Tournament in Todd Golden’s second season,” Tucker begins.

“They have a ton of returning size and production in the paint — and added more in Chattanooga transfer Sam Alexis (9.1 rebounds per game) and 7-foot-9, 290-pound freshman Olivier Rioux, the world’s tallest teenager,” he continues. “Martin, an All-CUSA and All-AAC guard who was a key piece of FAU’s Final Four run in 2023, has made 242 career 3-pointers and should replenish a lot of what the Gators lost from their backcourt.”

Tucker is feeling bullish on Golden’s personal stock coming into the season as well.

“We think the 38-year-old Golden is a rising star in coaching — he won 24 games in year two at San Francisco and 24 games in year two at Florida — but he’s yet to win an NCAA Tournament game. That’s the next big hurdle, and this is a roster good enough to do it.”

Florida will face the South Florida Bulls on Nov. 4 at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville. The only officially announced game on Florida’s schedule is the Dec. 4 matchup with Virginia, which is part of the SEC-ACC Challenge.