Please Read: Welcome to the new-look Inside the Gators
- Evaluating the Class of 2024: Lagway led the way
- Evaluating the Class of 2024 Transfers: Receivers earn an A
- Class of 2025 Recruiting Superlatives
- Grading the Gators: Class of 2025 Signees
- UF players to keep an eye on as Transfer Portal window opens
- 35-Game Report Card: Napier’s numbers are still lacking
- Former Florida Player Feedback: 10 Observations
No. 6 Florida finished its pre-conference slate of games with a 13-0 record. Before SEC play tips off this Saturday against No. 10 Kentucky, Luke Adragna looks back at the first 13 games by sharing his grades and superlatives.
Pre-Conference Grading the Gators
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| PLAYER | COMMENT | GRADE |
| Walter Clayton Jr. | There was no doubt guard Walter Clayton Jr. would lead Florida in scoring — many expected he could be one of the best scorers in the country. Clayton hasn’t always been the best player on the court so far this season, but he never fails to positively impact the game. His passing is elite, he’s a no-doubt free-throw shooter and his awareness always keeps him one step ahead of everyone. | A– |
| Alijah Martin | To put it simply, Alijah Martin has been a gem for Todd Golden’s roster this season. Martin is a fantastic defender, a three-level scorer, and when he’s hot, there’s no stopping him. | A+ |
| Alex Condon | In a roster with as many scorers as Florida’s, it’s easy to overlook the impact Alex Condon makes on a nightly basis. He always contributes defensively and moves quite well for his size. He has the ability to take over against teams who gameplan to limit the Gators’ array of scoring guards. | A- |
| Will Richard | Will Richard hasn’t been as effective of a “3-and-D” player as many expected him to be in his senior season. His shot has struggled at times, but in his last three matchups, Richard shot the ball above 70% from the field and always provides defensive utility. He was a huge factor in UF’s statement victory against UNC. | B |
| Rueben Chinyelu | Gators center Rueben Chinyelu is a favorite in the locker room, and it’s easy to see why. Chinyelu plays with grit and heart — sometimes that can get the best of him though. There is still much he can clean up defensively, rebounding and below the rim. | B- |
| Denzel Aberdeen | For a majority of teams, Denzel Aberdeen would be the starting point guard. Aberdeen has been a useful spark plug off the bench for Florida and when he turns on the switch, it becomes very difficult for the opposing team’s benches to stop Aberdeen’s offensive capabilities. | B |
| Thomas Haugh | Forward Thomas Haugh is one of the most underrated players on the Gators’ roster. Haugh does exactly what is expected of him off the bench and, every so often, has the ability to take over offensively. | B+ |
| Sam Alexis | Forward Sam Alexis is in a similar role to Haugh but plays primarily around the rim. His shot-blocking ability is elite and he has a knack for rebounding. | B |
Pre-Conference Superlatives
Most Valuable Player: Alijah Martin
As I mentioned before, Martin has been the gem of this season’s roster. He provides a championship pedigree from his Final Four run two seasons ago, which will be extremely useful during the final stretch of the season. He is well-respected among his peers and will play a major role on both ends of the court throughout the remainder of the year.
Impact Arrival: Rueben Chinyelu
Of course, Martin would fit this spot. But in addition to the FAU transfer, center Rueben Chinyelu has adjusted well into the starting center spot. He isn’t quite as effective as Micah Handlogten, who is medically redshirting this year due to a leg fracture during the 2023-24 season. However, Chinyelu still has time to improve during the season and work out some of his kinks on the board and defensively.
Best Game: Florida vs. UNC (12/17)
Sure, you could select one of the Gators’ several blowouts this year and label it as their best performance to date. However, Florida’s comeback win against UNC was what showed many the capabilities of this roster. After struggling to begin the second half and trailing 72-68 despite holding an early lead, UF finished the final eight minutes of the game committing zero turnovers, outrebounding UNC 14-5 and outscoring the Tar Heels 22-12. Florida won 90-84.
Worst Game: Florida vs. FSU (11/15)
The Gators’ worst game came early on in the season in a road contest against the Seminoles. Similar to Florida’s other contests, it earned a quick lead and even extended it to 18 points. However, the Seminoles (9-4) came back and made it a single-digit contest within the final three minutes of the game. Florida had overall poor play down the stretch, which opened FSU’s ability to make something out of nothing.
Best individual performance: Alijah Martin vs. SIU
Undoubtedly, the best individual performance came from Martin against Southern Illinois University. Martin had one of the best shooting performances of his career and finished with 32 points while shooting 8-of-13 from beyond the arc. There was a three-minute stretch where Martin made four straight threes. He even turned around before one of his shots went in.
Worst individual performance: Walter Clayton Jr. vs. UNC
There aren’t many performances that were a detriment to Florida’s chances of winning other than Clayton’s miserable shooting night against the Tar Heels. The senior guard finished the contest with 15 attempted shots, converting only 26% of them. He logged one made three on seven attempts, and Clayton also surrendered four turnovers.
Most Surprising: Will Richard
Richard’s selection of most surprising depends on your interpretation of the category. I think his tendency to be hot or cold depending on the night is something you’d expect to be less prominent with experience. However, despite being one of the most seasoned veterans on the team, there are many times where Richard’s offensive impact disappears. He has had some miserable shooting performances but played phenomenally during the final stretch of games before holiday break.
Most Disappointing: Urban Klavzar
I’m not exactly surprised guard Urban Klavzar hasn’t lived up to the expectations many placed on him ahead of the beginning of the season. Klavzar began his career at Florida in dramatic fashion, failing to earn eligibility from the NCAA until four games into the season. In the few games he has appeared, he hasn’t amounted to much offensively due to what looks like an absence of confidence. Additionally, he provides little to no upside on defense.
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