Denzel Aberdeen returning to Gators, seeking 5th season of eligibility

Guard Denzel Aberdeen, who played last season for Kentucky after spending his first three years with the Florida Gators, is heading back to UF, per Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports.

Rothstein reported Friday that Aberdeen has committed to Todd Golden.

Aberdeen is seeking a 5th season of eligibility.

If granted, the 6-foot-5, 195-pound Aberdeen, a combo guard, would be a senior next season and fill a void as the Gators will graduate guard Xaivian Lee from the 2025-26 squad. Point guard Boogie Fland has already announced he is returning next season.

In his lone season at Kentucky, Aberdeen averaged 13.5 points, 3.4 assists and 2.5 rebounds a game. He made 43.3 percent of his field goals, including 36.3 percent from 3-point range.

Aberdeen was a backup during his three seasons at Florida. His best season came during UF’s national championship campaign in 2024-25, when he played 39 games with five starts, and averaged 7.7 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists. He scored seven big points in Florida’s win over Houston in the NCAA title game.

Aberdeen appeared in 83 games at Florida with five starts over three seasons, finishing with 426 points, 101 rebounds, 80 assists and 31 steals. As a freshman, he played in just 12 games and just 3.4 minutes per appearance.

He is a native of Orlando and played at Dr. Phillips High.