GAINESVILLE — For Alex Lloyd and CJ Ingram, Florida men’s basketball just means more.
Whether it’s embracing the pressure or continuing a family legacy, the two freshmen could play a pivotal role in the Gators’ success, helping guards Xaivian Lee and Boogie Fland when needed as the team tries to defend its national championship. In the past, one of Florida’s advantages through March was its ability to rotate players and let others rest. Now, Lloyd and Ingram have a chance to help.
“If we all do our job and do it to the highest level, we are going to be very good and have a chance at it again,” Lloyd said. “I don’t feel like there’s pressure, especially when you’re used to winning and your expectation is to win. You just got to do what you have to do to put your team in a better position to win.”
Lloyd’s journey to the Gators helped forge the way he views pressure. His expectation is winning, and nothing short of it. He joined UF as the No. 41 prospect in his class, according to 247Sports. He’s also won three Peach Jams, the championship tournament for the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League.
Lloyd embraces the competition against Fland and Lee as a way to learn. He’s not shy about admitting that Fland has given him trouble, but he’s also seen himself improve each time he faces them.
“Coming from where I come from, I like to compete, earn my spot,” Lloyd said. “Boogie, being the classic ahead of me, he’s a really good player, and learning from him every day is just a great opportunity.”
Ingram also has a family history at the university to live up to. His father, Cornelius Ingram, won a national championship as a tight end on the Gators football team. He also appeared in 19 basketball games during the 2004-05 season.
Like his father, CJ played football and basketball at Montverde Academy. Late in his junior year, he began to receive offers, and he was ranked in the top 75 for his class, according to 247Sports. After talking to his family, he decided to hone in on basketball. His choice eventually paid off. CJ’s ranking rose to No. 22 in his class when he only played basketball in his senior year.
Deciding where to go was the next big step. Florida reached out first, but CJ felt he needed to weigh his options. During the recruiting visit, Cornelius didn’t push his son to come to Gainesville. Still, the distance from home — only about 15 minutes — and the people CJ met convinced him.
He wanted to be at Florida.
“I didn’t really take other visits. I knew I wanted to come here,” CJ said. “The whole decision was up to me. He didn’t really push me one way.”
Ingram is aware of Florida’s big expectations and how he fits onto the team as a freshman. He’s taken on a new role as the self-proclaimed glue guy. He said he didn’t think he would be a scorer from the onset. Rather, he focused on the little things like rebounding, diving on loose balls and defending the basket.
“Just having a motor, being an everyday guy, having energy no matter how my game is offensively,” he said. “I’m always going to try and make the play on defense and make the right rebound.”
The history between Lloyd and Ingram started in middle school, and it has helped the two adjust to Gainesville. They played each other frequently in AAU basketball, and Ingram called Lloyd’s team “the most dominating AAU team of all time.”
When Ingram committed, they started talking. The two now work out, go to class and live with each other. The discussion of creating their own legacies at Florida comes up frequently.
“Things can get a little hectic,” Ingram said. “We just got to be patient. Wait our turn. When the opportunities present, then we have to take advantage of it.”
Florida Gators freshman guard Alex Lloyd works out with the men’s basketball team ahead of the 2025-26 season. (Maddie Washburn/Courtesy UF Athletics)