Former Florida star Tre Mann broke the curse between the Gators men’s basketball team and the NBA draft Thursday. He was drafted by the Oklahoma City Thunder with the 18th overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft. He became the first Florida player to be selected in the NBA draft since 2013 when forward Erik Murphy was picked by the Chicago Bulls with the 49th overall pick in the second round.
Mann made the correct decision after he tested the NBA draft waters following his freshman year. He returned to Florida and excelled after former point guard Andrew Nembhard transferred to Gonzaga. He scored 16 points per game while averaging 5.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists. Mann will also be the first Florida player to be drafted under coach Mike White.
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His sweet shooting stroke will pay huge dividends with the Thunder because he hit over 40% of his three-pointers last season. Oklahoma City also needs perimeter shooting and playmaking to space the floor for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander if the organization keeps him. Florida fans should look forward to Mann being a solid role player for the Thunder next season.
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