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Myron Medcalf
GAINESVILLE, FLA. — LEADING UP TO THIS SEASON, a few months elapsed before the Florida Gators could fully set their sights on attempting consecutive national titles, mirroring their program’s past achievements in 2006 and 2007. First, head coach Todd Golden was tasked with constructing another championship-caliber lineup.
He was fully aware that his outstanding backcourt would graduate and vie for roster spots in the NBA. However, he didn’t anticipate Denzel Aberdeen receiving Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals that would transform Florida’s rising potential star into, as Golden described, a “cap casualty,” ultimately leading to his departure for Kentucky. Additionally, at that juncture, Alex Condon’s decision regarding the 2025 NBA draft, whether to remain or return to Gainesville, was uncertain.
Throughout the draft evaluation process, Condon not only opted to return but also encountered former Arkansas standout Boogie Fland, a meeting that influenced Florida’s chances of defending its title.
“I suggested, ‘Come join the Gators. We might all have to make another run at it,'” Condon shared with ESPN, recounting their discussion at a Brooklyn Nets workout. “I’m unsure if that significantly swayed his decision, but witnessing his commitment to Florida played a role in finalizing my decision.”
Fland concurred, “It definitely factored into my decision, particularly knowing that everyone was planning to return.”
That serendipitous encounter between Condon and Fland was not the sole stroke of good fortune for Golden’s Gators as they prepared to chase another championship. To possess a legitimate shot at joining the UCLA Bruins of the John Wooden era as the only other school to achieve multiple two-peat victories, Florida required more pieces to align. A surprising connection with an Ivy League standout and a viewing gathering at Golden’s residence became crucial elements in the Gators emerging as only the second reigning champion in the last decade to secure a top-three ranking in the subsequent year’s preseason AP Top 25 — expectations that they are openly welcoming.
“I believe we should embrace the pressure because this team is bound to face adversity at some point,” Golden stated. “That’s the reality. I’d love to claim we’ll go 31-0 before the NCAA tournament, but that’s unrealistic. I believe, for us to reach our full potential, we need to confront those challenges — the frustrations, vulnerabilities, and disappointments — to truly evolve.
“If we shield our players from that pressure, I doubt we’ll ever experience true growth.”
THREE DAYS PRIOR TO Princeton’s season conclusion, Xaivian Lee found himself captivated while watching Florida nearly score 100 points against Alabama from his dorm room in New Jersey.
The two-time All-Ivy League guard was astonished by what he observed. There was a sequence of passes from Walter Clayton Jr. to Will Richard to Condon, culminating in a dunk. Alijah Martin executed a slam on a fast break, and Thomas Haugh secured a finish in transition. Clayton emerged as the orchestrator of a relentless attack.
It was at that moment that Lee began to envision himself donning the blue and orange jersey.
“I recall their incredibly fast pace and Condon’s numerous alley-oop opportunities, which I deemed effective offense,” Lee remarked, reflecting on the game. “It was enjoyable, fast-paced, and fluid, with everything open and the team constantly transitioning up and down the court.”
Following the Gators’ advancement to the Final Four a few weeks later, Lee received a text message from an unfamiliar sender. Golden had broken his self-imposed rule of refraining from recruiting during the NCAA tournament — to avoid potential reports that might distract his team — to capitalize on the fact that Lee and Haugh, former teammates during prep school, had maintained contact through a group chat, which included Lee’s decision to enter the transfer portal.
Within a week after the confetti had settled at the Alamodome, Lee committed to Florida.
Golden’s choice to limit recruiting during the postseason placed Florida in a challenging situation. By the time his team had emerged victorious from a come-from-behind win against Houston in the championship game, he had a sense that Lee would join the squad, but further work remained. While the frontcourt appeared to be settled following a flurry of NBA-related decisions — with Condon, Haugh, and Rueben Chinyelu all choosing to return — the backcourt still faced uncertainty after Aberdeen’s unexpected departure.
Fortunately for the Gators, another elite guard was reconsidering his future.
Fland, a five-star prospect, entered the 2024-25 season projected as a potential lottery pick before a thumb injury disrupted his season and, consequently, his opportunity to demonstrate his capabilities at the next level. Complicating matters, NBA teams raised questions about the measurements of the 6-foot-2 guard. A return to college — potentially to Florida, after his conversation with Condon — began to seem like his most advantageous course of action.
“Truthfully, I hadn’t initially planned on returning to college basketball,” Fland admitted. “I intended to persevere and assess the draft experience, taking into account the scouts’ evaluations. However, during my predraft workout in New York, I had a private meeting — which later became public — with Coach Golden and his staff. The proposition was compelling, prompting me to reflect on the past year, the goals I hadn’t achieved, and the areas I needed to improve upon.”
The phone lines remained active after Golden and Fland connected, with both Condon and Fland eager to confirm the other’s commitment.
“As soon as Fland entered the portal, I immediately recognized it as a perfect scenario for both parties,” Golden noted. “It genuinely was. We were in need of a point guard and another ball handler to complement Lee. We required one more highly skilled player, and I believed we already had all the other components in place. With our entire frontcourt returning, I felt that Fland would significantly improve this year based on his experiences from the previous year.”
AS HE ASSESSED his roster during the summer and contemplated its potential to make history, Golden had to remind himself that many of his players might not fully grasp the past.
“Some of them weren’t even born yet,” he commented, referring to the program’s national title runs in 2006 and 2007, led by Al Horford, Corey Brewer, and Joakim Noah, a trio of future lottery picks and NBA standouts.
He sought to emphasize the significance of the moment by inviting the team to his residence to watch “SEC Storied: Repeat after Us,” an ESPN documentary about the program’s two-peat, once practices commenced in August.
“I wanted them to understand the strong bond that team shared and the importance of their relationships, highlighting that it transcended simply making money in the NBA,” Golden explained. “They genuinely cared for each other, which contributed to their remarkable success. I wanted to show them the documentary because the second year presented significant challenges for those players. It was demanding.”
During the Final Four, Condon contacted Horford and later visited Noah’s home that summer. These interactions enabled Condon to appreciate the legacy this team could establish in the history of Florida men’s basketball if they could replicate what Horford and Noah’s Gators accomplished nearly 20 years prior.
“I believe creating a lasting legacy is a shared ambition,” Condon expressed.
Emulating the camaraderie exhibited by the 2005-07 rosters is the driving force behind the 2025-26 Florida Gators’ intentional efforts to cultivate their chemistry this offseason. They have made frequent trips to Dragonfly, a local sushi establishment, while some team members prefer a nearby hibachi restaurant with unlimited servings. The team also embarked on a snorkeling excursion with turtles in a cove on a recent Sunday, a novel experience for many.
“Lee and Fland have made a concerted effort to spend time with us off the court and begin forging those connections,” Condon added. Golden’s office is adorned with mementos that reflect the bond of last year’s group.
A framed key to the city, presented to the team by Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward upon their return with the newly acquired hardware, is prominently displayed. Another frame houses a proclamation from the U.S. Senate commemorating the day they secured the program’s third national title, along with a signed letter from President Donald Trump, which Golden acquired during the customary visit to the White House.
However, it’s the influx of shoes — 32 pairs, to be precise — that line his office and underscore Florida’s elevated position within the Jordan Brand hierarchy, highlighting the benefits of a national title run.
“I’m not particularly knowledgeable about shoes,” Golden admitted. “But the players appreciate that.”
During his tenure as head coach at San Francisco, Golden noted that he had only four pairs of shoes in his office. That privilege, however, comes with heightened pressure, amplified by the return of his entire frontcourt — 7-foot-1 center Micah Handlogten (2.6 PPG) is expected to assume a more prominent role this season — and the addition of a pair of elite guards.
Both Lee and Fland excel with the ball in their hands, but they will need to share the responsibilities this season and replicate the synergy that defined last year’s backcourt. The frontcourt will also necessitate a few adjustments. Haugh will need to showcase a perimeter game and versatility that he primarily demonstrated sporadically a year ago. Chinyelu and Handlogten are poised to play more substantial roles within a deep frontcourt. Are they prepared for that challenge? Condon struggled after sustaining a midseason ankle injury last year, though he is supplementing his training with extra workouts on a stationary bike after each practice to improve his resilience.
At this juncture last year, Florida had yet to be recognized as a genuine contender. The acclaim came later. That’s the fundamental difference between the two iterations of these teams: Expectations for 2025-26 were set at an elevated level even before the season commenced.
Golden understands that the Gators can either shy away from those expectations or — like the 2007 and 2008 national title teams — leverage those lofty ambitions to make history.
“We operated under the radar for the majority of last season,” Golden observed. “This year, we’re projected to be a top-five team in most preseason rankings, so we won’t have that luxury. I want the returning players to embrace the pressure and the pride associated with attempting a repeat championship.”
