Todd Golden’s team is coming off an unsuccessful defense of its 2025 national championship, but maintains a lofty outlook as the program returns top-level talent who opted to return to Gainesville rather than enter the NBA draft.<\/p>\n
While the Gators are virtually a consensus title contender going into next season, Trotter believes that Florida<\/a>‘s demise could be perimeter shooting. Last season, Golden’s gang ranked in the 22nd percentile nationally on jump shots, which means the Gators shot worse than 77% of all Division I teams.<\/p>\n Boogie Fland’s return to Florida is viewed as a crucial piece that could lift the Gators’ ceiling if the former McDonald’s All-American can take a step forward in his third collegiate campaign.<\/p>\n Need a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!<\/a><\/p>\n “Todd Golden is relying heavily on internal development to fix those brick-laying woes. Incremental growth from Haugh and Condon wouldn’t hurt, but frankly, point guard Boogie Fland has to be better, and he will with help from the Year 2 transfer jump,” Trotter said.<\/p>\n Urban Klavzar deciding to come back will surely help matters, as the junior led the Gators in 3-point shooting percentage.<\/p>\n “More playing time for Urban Klavzar will help; the 6-foot-1 junior is the best 3-point shooter on the roster. Another surge for second-unit guards like Isaiah Brown and Alex Lloyd won’t hurt either.”<\/p>\n Meanwhile, the strength of this team remains in the paint, where Thomas Haugh, Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu all return as one of the nation’s most dynamic front-court trios.<\/p>\n “Florida\u00a0will be the best rebounding team in the nation with Alex Condon, Tommy Haugh and Rueben Chinyelu back in the fold in a mark of unprecedented retention. All three are All-SEC players in 2026-27. You can’t say that about any other SEC club. Elite rebounding, in layman’s terms, equals more scoring chances,” Trotter went on to say.<\/p>\n “Florida won the rebounding plus turnover delta by 10.4 possessions per game against high-major foes, per CBB Analytics. That ranked second only behind\u00a0Duke<\/a>. The Gators’ massive shot-volume edge gives Florida the highest floor in all of college basketball.”<\/p>\n After earning a No. 1 seed in last year’s NCAA Tournament and only losing two games in the entirety of the conference slate, Florida returns all but one starter from its core group in 2026.<\/p>\n Follow us\u00a0@GatorsWire<\/a>\u00a0on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as\u00a0Bluesky<\/a>, and like our page on\u00a0Facebook<\/a>\u00a0to follow ongoing coverage of\u00a0Florida Gators<\/a>\u00a0news, notes and opinions.<\/p>\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1781215326_684_86373768007-gators-1.jpg\")