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Thursday, March 28, 2024
<p>Billy Donovan talks to his players during a timeout in Florida’s 61-60 win against Kentucky on March 16 in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.</p>

Billy Donovan talks to his players during a timeout in Florida’s 61-60 win against Kentucky on March 16 in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

Florida men’s basketball achieved greatness last season.

A 30-game win streak.

An undefeated record in the O’Connell Center for the second straight season.

A perfect run through the Southeastern Conference.

A Final Four berth — its first since 2007.

And even though Florida’s regular-season debut against William & Mary is still a little less than three months away, one thing will be apparent when the Gators take to the O’Connell Center come November.

The team you see will not look the same as last year.

Gone are UF’s four seniors — Casey Prather, Scottie Wilbekin, Will Yeguete and Patric Young — who accounted for 57.9 percent of Florida’s offensive production, 51.1 percent of its rebounds and a .501 shooting clip.

Gone is the winningest class in program history, accruing 120 victories over its four-year run.

Gone are the four who probably wish their historic final season playing for the Gators lasted just one game longer.

But coach Billy Donovan still has talent on his team as he enters his 19th season as head coach. He returns valuable playmakers, players capable of making another deep postseason run.

Shooting guard Michael Frazier II, UF’s lone returning starter from last season, looks poised to have another solid campaign heading into his third year at UF. The Tampa native paced the Gators in three-pointers (118) -- 11 of which came in record-setting fashion against South Carolina on March 4 -- and shooting clip from beyond the arc (.447) and will assume a larger leadership role come November.

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Dorian Finney-Smith, the 2013 SEC Sixth Man of the Year, should see more starting time in his second year at UF. The redshirt junior and Virginia Tech transfer led the Gators in rebounds per game (6.7) and was the lone player to average more than 20 minutes per contest off the bench in his first year on the court since leaving the Hokies.

Kasey Hill and Chris Walker — Florida’s two McDonald’s All-Americans from its 2013 recruiting class — will develop heading into their second year under Donovan.

Hill showed flashes of potential during his first year while playing behind Wilbekin at point guard. The Umatilla, Fla., native finished the year by averaging 3.1 rebounds and 5.5 points per game on a 40.7-percent shooting clip.

Walker, who was ineligible during the fall semester, was held out of the first 12 games after the fall ended due to an NCAA suspension and had trouble making time on the court, averaging just 4.8 minutes per game.

But in those 87 minutes where he wasn’t on the bench, Walker amassed a .593 field goal clip 24 rebounds and eight blocks.

Add in a healthy Eli Carter (right leg) and Dillon Graham (bone spurs in hip) — both of whom sat out last season — as well as a trio of transfers (Alex Murphy, Duke; John Egbunu, USF; and Jon Horford, Michigan) and a three-man recruiting class, and Donovan is poised to have a capable group of players.

The season won’t be easy, with a road match against Kansas, a rematch against national champion UConn and the Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament at Paradise Island, Bahamas — where Florida could possibly compete against 2014 Elite Eight Teams Wisconsin and UCLA back-to-back — peppered in its non-conference slate in addition to an 18-game SEC slate.

The starting lineup may look different. The team may look different.

But the capability for success is the same.

Follow Jordan McPherson on Twitter @J_McPherson1126

Billy Donovan talks to his players during a timeout in Florida’s 61-60 win against Kentucky on March 16 in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

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