Florida Gators Reload with the Return of Rueben Chinyelu

Twenty years ago, Billy Donovan brought a National Title to Gainesville for the very first time. A few weeks later, all five Florida starters announced they were returning for another season. It feels like deja vu all over again.

On Thursday, Rueben Chinyelu shared that he will withdraw his name from NBA Draft consideration and return to Florida. The 6-foot-10 center is one of the most physical post players in all of college basketball. Last year, he averaged 10.9 points and 11.2 rebounds per game. He was named National Defensive Player of the Year and set Florida single-season records for double-doubles (19) and offensive rebounds (137).

Chinyelu started in all 40 games for the 2025 National Champions. He isn’t the only player on next year’s Florida roster who helped Todd Golden hang a banner. Alex Condon and Thomas Haugh were both expected to be taken in the NBA Draft, with the latter a fringe lottery pick, but each player decided to run it back with the Gators. The two forwards combined to average 32.3 points and 13.6 rebounds per game last year.

There’s really only one significant departure from last year’s team that won the SEC Regular Season Title and earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Xaivian Lee exhausted his eligibility. Boogie Fland is back for a second season in Gainesville, and Urban Klavzar returns after netting 40.6% of his three-point attempts to earn SEC Sixth Man of the Year Honors.

Florida looked good enough to repeat last season. Fortunately, Iowa delivered a stunning second round upset. Now, the Gators are reloading, looking for vengeance.

Expect to see Florida atop every preseason Top 25 poll. They’re currently the 6-1 favorites to win the National Championship on BetMGM. Todd Golden is holding an exceptional hand of cards, but can he play them correctly to win a second title in three years?

Florida vs. Kentucky as No. 1

We do not yet know what next season’s SEC basketball schedule will look like, but Kentucky will play the Gators at least once. These two SEC foes have played 156 times, and Florida was ranked No. 1 in five of those games.

Kentucky fell by 19 points in the 2014 regular season finale in Gainesville, but nearly knocked off the Gators in the SEC Tournament Title Game. James Young slipped on the court as he drove to shoot the game-winning basket against the No. 1 team in the country.

In two meetings against Joakim Noah and the Defending Champs in 2007, Kentucky got trounced in Gainesville, but Tubby Smith’s team probably should’ve secured a victory at Rupp Arena. In front of a capacity crowd, the Cats overcame a 16-point deficit to get within three points on multiple occasions, but could never bury the equalizer, netting just 3-22 three-point shots in a 64-61 loss.

Some would describe the 2003 game between Kentucky and No. 1 Florida as the most memorable in this series. Kentucky completely suffocated Matt Walsh, David Lee, and Matt Bonner in a 70-55 win inside a deafening Rupp Arena. Kentucky led 43-20 at halftime, sending Dick Vitale into a conniption.

“This is humiliation! Jam City! It’s an embarrassment! No. 1! Billy Knows! What a way to be No. 1! This Cats team is FOR REAL!”