The Florida Gators began the offseason with just five returning scholarship players on the roster, and head coach Todd Golden and his recruiting staff have added four names through the transfer portal so far to reload the team.
Adding Iona guard Walter Clayton Jr. will give the Gators a player who can create his own shot, and Marshall center Micah Handlogten, Yale forward EJ Jarvis and Seton Hall big man Tyrese Samuel will make up the bulk of UF’s new-look frontcourt.
Although Golden lost a good amount of talent after his first year in Gainesville, the transfers he’s brought are enough to earn a spot in the winners column of 247Sports’ latest breakdown of early portal moves.
“Florida’s newcomers should elevate, not detract, anything from key returners like Will Richard and Riley Kugel,” Isaac Trotter wrote. “Golden knows a jump is necessary for Year 2, and the Gators’ roster is starting to come together in a big way.”
Handlogten is the most interesting piece of the puzzle here. He’s 7-foot-1-inches tall and has multiple years of eligibility left. Jarvis and Samuel are coming in as fifth-years, so they are essentially one-year rentals similar to Kyle Lofton last season. Of course, Lofton was one of the team’s most productive players in 2022-23.
Losing Alex Fudge to the NBA draft was odd, but it leaves another hole in the roster for Golden to fill through the portal. Samuel is a strong defender and rebounder, and Jarvis has the scoring touch to replace some of Fudge’s points. But, it wouldn’t be insane to see the Gators add another piece to the frontcourt, especially with the positive reputation UF is earning as a transfer portal destination.
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