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GAINESVILLE — Princeton transfer guard Xaivian Lee committed to Florida as the national champion Gators begin rebuilding their backcourt.
Lee spurned Kansas and St. John’s for coach Todd Golden’s fast-rising program after concluding a two-day visit to Gainesville Wednesday. The 6-foot-4, 180-pound Toronto native averaged 16.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.2 steals this past season while he shot 43.9%, including 36.6% from 3-point range.
Lee will have one year of eligibility remaining as Golden pushes to quickly rebuild a backcourt that spearheaded the Gators’ recent run to the program’s third national title.
Lee was an unrated prospect in 2022 as a high school teammate of Florida’s standout sixth man Thomas Haugh at Pennsburg (Penn.) Perkiomen School. But he developed into a two-time All-Ivy League first-team player who will know push to fill some big shoes.
Behind All-American guard Walter Clayton and veteran backcourt mates Alijah Martin and Will Richard, the Gators beat Houston 65-63 during the national title game April 7 in San Antonio. The trio averaged 46 points, 12.8 rebounds, 7.97 assists and 3.95 steals last season, while also combining for 276 3-pointers.
Each had key moments during UF’s six NCAA Tournament wins, including four when the Gators during the second half.
Clayton, who had back-to-back 30-point games, was named Most Outstanding Player of the Big Dance. Meanwhile, Martin and Richard both have several clutch moments, including Martin’s 14 first-half points against two-time defending national champion UConn in the second round and Richard’s 4 3-pointers during the opening 20 minutes against Houston.
Against Houston the Gators erased a 12-point second half lead as several players pitched in.
“We did what we did all year,” Golden said after the game. “We stayed the course. We had the best backcourt in America. We had the best frontcourt in America.”
Golden’s guard, which also including Orlando’s Denzel Aberdeen off the bench, were as good as any. Next season, UF’s frontcourt could be the team’s backbone.
Sophomore power forward Alex Condon will guard NBA interest during the offseason, but well could return in 2025-26 to join Haugh, 6-foot-10, 255-pound center Rueben Chinyelu, 7-foot-1, 255-pound center Micah Handlogten and 6-foot-8, 240-pound forward Sam Alexis of Apopka.
Lee, Aberdeen and Urban Klavzar, a sophomore from Slovenia, form a solid backcourt trio, while freshman Isaiah Brown of Orlando will push to expand his role. Golden, though, is likely to add another transfer guard.
UF also will welcome incoming freshmen CJ Ingram, a 6-foot-6 small forward at Montverde Academy ranked No. 22 nationally by 247Sports, and Alex Lloyd, a 6-foot-3 combo guard and nation’s No. 40 prospect out of Fort Lauderdale’s Westminster Academy.
Edgar Thompson can be reached at [email protected]
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Lee spurned Kansas and St. John’s for coach Todd Golden’s fast-rising program after concluding a two-day visit to Gainesville Wednesday. The 6-foot-4, 180-pound Toronto native averaged 16.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.2 steals this past season while he shot 43.9%, including 36.6% from 3-point range.
Lee will have one year of eligibility remaining as Golden pushes to quickly rebuild a backcourt that spearheaded the Gators’ recent run to the program’s third national title.
Lee was an unrated prospect in 2022 as a high school teammate of Florida’s standout sixth man Thomas Haugh at Pennsburg (Penn.) Perkiomen School. But he developed into a two-time All-Ivy League first-team player who will know push to fill some big shoes.
Behind All-American guard Walter Clayton and veteran backcourt mates Alijah Martin and Will Richard, the Gators beat Houston 65-63 during the national title game April 7 in San Antonio. The trio averaged 46 points, 12.8 rebounds, 7.97 assists and 3.95 steals last season, while also combining for 276 3-pointers.
Each had key moments during UF’s six NCAA Tournament wins, including four when the Gators during the second half.
Clayton, who had back-to-back 30-point games, was named Most Outstanding Player of the Big Dance. Meanwhile, Martin and Richard both have several clutch moments, including Martin’s 14 first-half points against two-time defending national champion UConn in the second round and Richard’s 4 3-pointers during the opening 20 minutes against Houston.
Against Houston the Gators erased a 12-point second half lead as several players pitched in.
“We did what we did all year,” Golden said after the game. “We stayed the course. We had the best backcourt in America. We had the best frontcourt in America.”
Golden’s guard, which also including Orlando’s Denzel Aberdeen off the bench, were as good as any. Next season, UF’s frontcourt could be the team’s backbone.
Sophomore power forward Alex Condon will guard NBA interest during the offseason, but well could return in 2025-26 to join Haugh, 6-foot-10, 255-pound center Rueben Chinyelu, 7-foot-1, 255-pound center Micah Handlogten and 6-foot-8, 240-pound forward Sam Alexis of Apopka.
Lee, Aberdeen and Urban Klavzar, a sophomore from Slovenia, form a solid backcourt trio, while freshman Isaiah Brown of Orlando will push to expand his role. Golden, though, is likely to add another transfer guard.
UF also will welcome incoming freshmen CJ Ingram, a 6-foot-6 small forward at Montverde Academy ranked No. 22 nationally by 247Sports, and Alex Lloyd, a 6-foot-3 combo guard and nation’s No. 40 prospect out of Fort Lauderdale’s Westminster Academy.
Edgar Thompson can be reached at [email protected]
Continue reading...
