Name: Samson Ruzhentsev
Number: 2
Position: Small Forward
Class: Freshman
Height: 6’7″
Weight: 231 lbs
Hometown: Chattanooga, TN
High School: Hamilton Heights Christian Academy
Twitter: @thesame_sam27
2019-20 Stats:
New roster addition in 2020-21
Overview:
The top recruit among Florida’s freshman this season, the 6-foot-7-inch Ruzhentsev was fairly well-known as a prep player especially thanks to his win in the Dr. Pepper Classic Dunk Contest. Searching his name on Twitter reveals a bumper crop of highlights, mostly of Ruzhentsev dominating at the rim and overpowering some unfortunate kid for an acrobatic layup or dunk.
As a Gator, he hasn’t been able to find much time on the floor yet through his first handful of games. It’s a predictable decision on the part of head coach Mike White to keep him on the bench, as Ruzhentsev is considered more of a project player than a polished one. However, if they play their cards right, Florida could have an exceptional player on their hands in a year or two.
The 247Sports scouting report on Ruzhentsev described him as a “confident scorer with ability to put up points from all three levels.” They them went on to praise his body control and defensive versatility. However, they note, to actualize his full potential, he’ll have to level up his “feel and shot selection.” Additionally, there’s room for him to add muscle to his frame as he grows into his adult body.
Don’t expect to see too much of Ruzhentsev on the court this season unless another important member of the Gators’ roster succumbs to injury. He’s a good candidate to be redshirted as the Florida coaching staff helps him transform his potential into realized talent and molds him into a feature player.
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-__2vW7TKQ
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