Entering the 2025-26 season, expectations for Florida’s power forward Alex Condon were higher than ever.
A defending national champion and an AP preseason All-American, Condon faced significant pressure heading into his junior year. It showed in his early struggles, especially from deep.
However, Condon turned things around late in the season, showing his value to Florida.
Now, entering his fourth, and likely last season with the Gators, Condon is ready to meet those high expectations again and finish his college basketball career with a bang.
“It’s probably going to be more intense this year being chased,” Condon said. “I feel like our core group, our eight players, have all been on the big stage and they know how to play at that level.”
Condon’s start to the 2025-26 campaign was far from ideal.
In Florida’s season opener against Arizona on Nov. 3, Condon reached the foul limit, finishing with 11 points on 4-of-9 shooting from the field. He also fouled out against Miami on Nov. 16.
Throughout the non-conference action, 3-point shooting plagued Condon, as the Aussie went 4-for-24 (16.7%) from beyond the arc.
“Condo struggled a little bit early in the year last year with our, ‘I’m Preseason All-American, I need to do this, I need to do that,’” Florida head coach Todd Golden said. “That's kind of the biggest thing is, just focusing on winning and playing hard and not being consumed with individual statistics and where that lands.”
He also struggled to take care of the basketball, committing six turnovers against Arizona and against Florida State on Nov. 11. Condon recorded two or more turnovers in nine nonconference games.
However, that didn’t last.
Condon switched his approach to focus on his strengths, becoming more of a threat in the high post and paint instead of trying to grow his game on the perimeter. He also said he deleted social media to avoid outside noise.
“Once he stopped stressing about the three-point shot and being the hardest-playing dude on the floor, he got back to being a KenPom MVP in a lot of games,” Golden said.
During Florida’s 12-game win streak from Jan. 28 to March 13, Condon averaged 17.6 points per game on 61% shooting. During this span, he recorded his season-best 26 points against Mississippi State on March 3. In Florida’s second-round exit to Iowa in the NCAA Tournament, Condon continued his dominant ways, with 21 points on 8-of-13 shooting, seven assists and five boards.
Condon finished his junior season averaging 15.1 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game en route to receiving All-SEC third-team honors.
“Condo last year, towards the end of the season, knew some of those weren't falling,” Haugh said, “And he got back to what he knows, and it's going to get buckets in the post and making the right play.”
During the tournament, Condon said he was 50-50 between going pro and returning to Gainesville, but on April 15, he decided to play out his senior season with the Gators.
Condon put in work during the offseason to avoid another slow start, focusing on his stroke from the 3-point range.
“He's worked a lot,” Haugh said. “It's gotten so much smoother, more consistent. He's going to show you how much work he's put in. This summer was great. I mean, his shooting form was great."
This summer, Condon also made his senior debut with Australia’s men’s basketball team, helping the Boomers beat Guam and the Philippines in the FIBA Asian Qualifiers in July. Across the two games, the Florida forward logged 10 points, 12 rebounds and four assists off the bench.
“It's just good to play in a big environment with professionals, rack their brains,” Condon said. “They've been in this a lot longer than me and just find out ways to stay strong mentally.”
As a member of Australia’s team, Condon said he learned from many seasoned professionals and understood what the next step after college basketball looks like. Cleveland Cavaliers guard Tyreese Proctor was one of those professionals.
“They definitely gave me a good glimpse and offer insights that maybe I don't get over here just with those Australian guys relating back to home and the pathway in Australian basketball,” he said.
Condon wanted to make sure team chemistry was sharp, even during the summer.
As a result, he and Haugh planned a team trip to Los Angeles in August. Denzel Aberdeen, Arturas Butajevas, Alex Lloyd, CJ Ingram, Boogie Fland and Alex Kovatchev made the trip.
“It was pretty special,” Condon said. “I feel like it was a good team bonding experience as well, being in a different place. With no coaches around, you can get to know a guy really well.”
Now, Florida and Condon enter the season with heavy weight on their shoulders, and the senior is ready to take the 2026-27 season head-on.
Contact Jeffrey Serber at Jserber@alligator.org. Follow him on X @JeffreySerber.
Jeffrey is the Fall 2026 men's basketball reporter and a third-year journalism sports & media major with a media, management and production minor. In his free time, he enjoys hanging out with friends and family and rooting for the Miami sports teams.
