The deadline for college basketball players to withdraw from the NBA draft and return to school passed last week, giving everyone a clearer view of what the rosters will look like when the NCAA season opens next November.
With that key date now in the rearview mirror, ESPN’s Jeff Borzello provided the third update of the offseason to his way-too-early rankings, in which the Florida Gators remain the top team in the nation.
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“Todd Golden had about as good an offseason as one could have when it comes to retention,” Borzello begins. “Thomas Haugh and Alex Condon opted to return to Gainesville without even going through the NBA draft process. The third member of the Gators’ frontcourt, Rueben Chinyelu, did, however, (attend) the combine — but ultimately withdrew to return to Florida.
“As a result, Golden and the Gators will have the nation’s best returning frontcourt for the second season in a row, along with the return of Boogie Fland, Urban Klavzar and plenty of depth,” he continues. “Kentucky transfer Denzel Aberdeen receiving a waiver to play another season would further cement Florida as the consensus preseason No. 1 team.”
Bringing the trio of Haugh, Condon and Chinyelu back to Gainesville completely intact — along with Fland and Klavzar — is a coup for the program that bears a striking resemblance to the return of the Oh Fours for a second national title run back in 2006. An Aberdeen reunion tour would just be icing on that delicious cake.
Can the Gators win a second championship in three years? This roster gives them as good a chance as any to pull it off.
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Florida basketball’s 2026-27 projected starting lineup
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Boogie Fland (11.7 points per game)
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Rueben Chinyelu (11.2 PPG)
NCAA basketball 2026-27 Way-Too-Early Top 25 rankings
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Florida basketball in ESPN’s latest way-too-early rankings for 2026-27
