Add another transfer portal coup to Florida basketball’s list of offseason achievements.
On Sunday, the Gators got a pledge from former Florida Atlantic Owls combo guard [autotag]Alijah Martin[/autotag] — not long after announcing his entrance into the portal on Saturday night on Twitter. The news of him going the Orange and Blue was also announced on his personal Twitter account just before noon ET.
The 6-foot-2-inch, 210-pound graduate is Todd Golden’s third transfer to commit this spring, joining former Washington State Cougars forward Rueben Chinyelu and former Chattanooga Mocs forward Sam Alexis. The Summit, Mississippi, native has one year of eligibility remaining to use in Gainesville.
In his final season at FAU, Martin averaged 13.1 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game while shooting 41.4% from the field and 33.8% from beyond the arc; he also shot 75% from the charity stripe. On the defensive side, he ranked No. 165 in steal percentage, snagging 56 in 2023-24 along with nine blocks; he grabbed 201 total rebounds, with 50 coming on offensive and the other 151 on defense boards.
His skill set and pedigree suggest that he will mesh quite well with the current roster, much like Zyon Pullin last season, but with some added defensive chops as well. Martin is the 107th-ranked prospect and 15th-ranked combo guard in the transfer portal, according to 247Sports.
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