The 2026-27 Gators huddle up during their first official offseason team practice Monday.
Gators Tip Off Summer Workouts
Monday, June 8, 2026 | Men's Basketball, Chris Harry
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By: Chris Harry, Senior Writer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Traditionally, this portion of the college basketball offseason calendar leans heavily into developing chemistry and camaraderie, elements of team-building that have grown even more pivotal in recent years, what with thousands of players annually on the move via the transfer portal.
Such was not the case Monday morning at the Hathcock Basketball Complex.
"It kind of just felt like we took a long break," Florida sophomore guard Alex Lloyd said after the team's first official summer workout. "Sort of like the season hadn't really ended. It all felt normal."
And looked normal, too.
That's because the Gators had 10 players back in the gym from a roster that during the 2025-26 campaign went 27-8, dominated the Southeastern Conference in winning the school's first league title in a dozen years by three games and earned just the third No. 1 seed (and second straight) in the NCAA Tournament. That number bears repeating.
— Florida Gators Men's Basketball (@GatorsMBK) June 8, 2026
"I feel like we have an incredible foundation for this coming year because of the continuity of the program, but I'm excited to see the new guys, too," UF coach Todd Golden said. "Just having them here and playing and getting acclimated and learning the level of what our program is right now, it's great."
It would take some leg work to scan the 365 Division I programs that return at least 10 players from last season for 2026-27. Suffice to say, it's a small room of teams. It's also a room that shrinks to the size of a hall closet when counting those with at least three seniors – in this case, forwards Thomas Haugh and Alex Condon, plus National and SEC Defensive Player of the Year Rueben Chinyelu – who return with All-America honors and a national championship on their resumes. Point guard Boogie Fland gives the Gators their fourth returnee from the starting unit.
Not all 15 scholarship players were on hand Monday, with 6-foot-10 Lithuanian freshman forward Arturas Butajevas expected later this week. Not every player participated in the drills and competitive pickup games, with a couple guys watching from the sideline with minor aches. And not everybody on the court has officially been cleared for the '26-27 season, but Golden and his staff are confident Florida-to-Kentucky-and-back-to-Florida transfer Denzel Aberdeen, a full participant Monday, will be suiting up for the Gators again this fall.
Aberdeen played his first three seasons at UF, but transferred to UK following a junior year when he was a key reserve and helped guide the Gators to the 2025 NCAA title. Aberdeen started 35 of 36 games at UK in '25-26, but is back and enrolled at Florida and on pace to graduate while the school petitions for a fifth year of eligibility based on the fact he only played 41 minutes as a freshman.
"We're proceeding as if he's a part of our team as we continue to work through the eligibility process," Golden said.
Aberdeen looked right at home alongside his six former teammates (Urban Klavzar, Isaiah Brown and Viktor Mikic are back from that '25 trophy-winning squad, also), as well as the guys who'll learn to play with in the months to come.
New arrival Domen Petrovic, a forward from Slovenia.
Like sophomore wing CJ Ingram (sparce minutes last season), fifth-year guard AJ Brown (red-shirted after transferring from Ohio U), junior guard Alex Kovatchev (deep reserve) and freshman Domen Petrovic, the 6-8 wing from Slovenia who was a teammate of Klavzar's in their native homeland.
"I really liked the workout," said Petrovic, who arrived on campus last week. "We got up and down and I'm a little gassed, but I love being around these guys and getting to know them and trying to build something special for the upcoming season. We have a great team."
As the kids say these days, "Facts."
Florida, with more 81.5% of its scoring and 78.4% of its rebounding back (and a huge role expected for Aberdeen at the shooting guard), is a near slam-dunk to be the nation's preseason No. 1-ranked team. The core of the group – six of the top seven minutes-getters are back – would appear to be set.
That doesn't leave a lot of minutes to spare, especially for a coach who is known to pare his rotation to eight (maybe nine) players as the season heads into the home strength.
But never say never.
CJ Ingram(left) squares up on classmate and close friend Alex Lloyd during Monday's pickup game.
"There are guys that have had great success in our program, but part of what makes our program what it is, it's a meritocracy. Everybody gets an opportunity," Golden said. "Yeah, it's going to be harder for some than others, but I don't know how many people thought 'Condo' and Tommy would play as much as they did as freshmen, right? I think there will be some surprises throughout the summer and into the preseason. There is every year."
Come what may, that year commenced Monday.
"Our bond just continues to get stronger," Lloyd said. "We all want to push ourselves to be great."
