Tag: riley kugel

Florida’s standout sophomore wing among The Athletic’s 20 best

Florida’s Riley Kugel is among the top 15 wings in college basketball this season, per The Athletic.

This season’s Florida basketball team is chock full of talent but there is one particular player who stands out from the rest.

Sophomore guard Riley Kugel out of Orlando is one of the more coveted players in college basketball this season based sheerly on his athleticism — but he also has an extra gear on the court that separates him from the pack.

As such, he was mentioned in The Athletic’s top 20 college basketball wings for 2023-24 put together by Sam Vecenie. The talented 6-foot-5-inch, 207-pound wing earned the No. 12 spot on the list.

“Kugel is one of the higher upside swings in this college basketball season,” Vecenie begins. “On one hand, he has all of the tools to be among the best scorers in the country… When you watch him, you say to yourself that he just moves like an NBA scoring guard moves, with grace blended with real force and explosiveness.

“Those tools came together nicely after Colin Castleton got injured to finish last season, as Kugel averaged 17.3 points on 49.6% from the field and 39.6% from the three-point line over his final 10 games,” he continued.

“The problem is that Florida lost seven of those 10, and Kugel often did things a bit more on his terms as opposed to the team’s at times. That was a necessity; the team needed someone to step up and be a legitimate scorer. But it also raised some questions about how exactly it’ll look on a Florida team that seems primed to take a big step forward in Todd Golden’s second season.

“Kugel will be paired with Walter Clayton Jr. (whom the buzz is palpable about in Gainesville right now) and Zyon Pullin, in addition to a deep frontcourt and talented wing Will Richard.

“Can Kugel get better at playing within himself when the time calls for it, as well as just making the right reads consistently in terms of passing and creating for others?” Vecenie ponders. “That’s the key to Florida’s season. If Kugel takes a leap in terms of his feel for the game and the way he reads the court, this has potential to be a legitimate top-25 team. If he doesn’t, things could get a bit clunky on offense,” Vecenie notes.

“I’m betting on the talent here by ranking Kugel this high. I’m betting he averages over 15 points per game and makes at least second-team All-SEC.”

So far this season he has played in all eight games, averaging 13.9 points and 4.3 rebounds in 29.5 minutes per game, shooting 43.3% from the floor (36.8% from beyond the arc) and just 64.8% from the charity stripe.

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Florida guard Riley Kugel voted to preseason first-team All-SEC

A UF guard was named to the preseason All-SEC first team in the latest coaches poll

The Florida Gators tip off their season in less than three days and coaches in the SEC college basketball realm voted which players are destined to break out in 2023.

Florida guard [autotag]Riley Kugel[/autotag] is returning to the starting five this season, and is set up to lead the Gators to a turnaround season.

Kugel was an important weapon last season, replacing the production role after forward Colin Castleton was ruled out for the season with a broken right hand.

The Orlando, Florida native averaged 9.9 points a game while racking up 12.6 points against SEC opponents.

Head coach Todd Golden said in a press conference at the end of last season that Kugel did more than well when it came to taking over the leadership role.

“Riley had done a really good job in his role being efficient,” Golden said. “And now, you know, he’s asked to use even more possessions, which is hard to do.”

Kugel and the Florida Gators will attempt to make an opening impression against the Loyola Greyhounds on Nov. 6. The game will be broadcast on SEC Network+.

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Florida Men’s Basketball Previews: Guards

The college basketball season is almost ready to tipoff, so let’s take a look at all of the guards on Florida’s 2023-24 roster.

The 2023-24 men’s college basketball season starts on Monday, Nov. 6, for Florida against Loyola Maryland, and the roster looks a bit different than it did in Year 1 under Todd Golden.

The program lost several players to the pros and transfer portal, but Golden and his staff worked hard to secure the return of at least one player and brought in some talented replacements.

Riley Kugel and Will Richard are the two familiar names on the roster, but it’s the players behind them that will decide close games for the Gators this year.

Here’s a look at every guard on the 2023-24 Florida men’s basketball roster.

Florida shooting guard Riley Kugel makes Jerry West Award watch list

This Florida Gators shooting guard was added to the Jerry West Award watch list on Tuesday ahead of tipoff for the 2023 season.

Florida men’s basketball season is just beyond the horizon and fans are eagerly awaiting the opening tip.

Head coach Todd Golden returns to the bench for his second year after an early bounce from the NIT, no thanks to the UCF Knights. The 2023-24 squad is young and formidable, and there are seven transfers helping to fill space on the roster.

One of the young weapons who’s expected to make an immediate impact is sophomore shooting guard [autotag]Riley Kugel[/autotag]. The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame has high expectations for the Orlando, Florida, native, adding his name to the Jerry West Award watch list for the season.

The award is given to the best-performing shooting guard of the season and Kugel joins a watch list with 19 other guards in Division I basketball.

Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame president John L. Doleva says the list was carefully chosen by a committee of top college basketball personnel.

“Each of the student-athletes nominated for the 2024 Jerry West Award has the same skillset that made Jerry West a household name, and they should be very proud of this accomplishment,” Doleva said.  “Our committee, alongside Jerry, is honored to watch this exceptional group and work together to narrow down the list as the season progresses.”

Kugel adds to a list of accolades amassed over short time. The sophomore earned a second-team All-SEC nod last week and collected SEC All-Freshman Honors in 2022.

The Florida begins its season on Nov. 6 against the Loyola Marymount Greyhounds inside the the O’Connell Center. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. EDT and will broadcast on the SEC Network+.

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Florida wing named to 2023-24 preseason All-SEC Team

Florida sophomore wing Riley Kugel was named a preseason All-SEC second teamer on Tuesday. He’ll lead the Gators in 2023-24.

Perhaps the most talented returning player on Florida’s roster heading into the 2023-24 men’s college basketball season is wing [autotag]Riley Kugel[/autotag].

He flirted with the draft following a strong finish to his freshman year but ultimately decided to return to Gainesville to lead the Gators and boost his draft stock.

So far, so good for Kugel, who was named to the preseason All-SEC second team in the conference preseason media poll Tuesday. The Gators were also picked to finish eighth in the conference. Auburn and Mississippi occupy the Nos. 6 and 7 spots.

Kugel nearly averaged double figures as a freshman, ending the season with a 9.9 per game average. His 12.6 points per game in SEC play was the best figure put up by a Gators freshman since Bradley Beal in 2011-12. Kugel also finished the season on an eight-game streak of double-digit points.

With several of last year’s leaders no longer with the team, Kugel has a chance to step up and have a big year with the Gators. If he struggles, so might the rest of the team.

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This Gator selected in first round of USA TODAY Sports’ 2024 mock NBA draft

It’s been a couple of years since a current Gator was selected in the NBA draft. Will next season snap the schneid?

The 2023 NBA draft is now in the rearview mirror after the 77th edition of the annual event took place on June 22. Unfortunately for Florida basketball, it was the second consecutive year that the program failed to have a former player drafted straight out of the university.

The last time a Gator was picked in the draft was in 2021 when Tre Mann was selected in the first round at pick No. 18 by the Oklahoma City Thunder. Then in 2022, Andrew Nembhard — who had transferred to Gonzaga prior to going pro — was taken in the second round at No. 31 overall, while another former transfer, Keyontae Johnson, also went in the second round of the 2023 draft at No. 50 overall.

With all of that now officially in the books, USA TODAY Sports’ Jeff Zillgitt quickly turned around with his mock draft for the 2024 selection process. This time, a future former Gator made the cut with [autotag]Riley Kugel[/autotag] getting taken at No. 24 overall in the first round. The team who will own that pick has still yet to be determined.

Kugel, a rising sophomore out of Dr. Phillips in Orlando, Florida, averaged 9.9 points per game during the regular season in 2023 while stepping up in Southeastern Conference Tournament play with a 12.6 scoring average — the highest by a Gators freshman since Bradley Beal in 2011-12. Earned also SEC All-Freshman honors thanks to his superlative play at times, including back-to-back 20-point games making him the first since Kenny Boynton (2009-10) to achieve that feat.

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Florida losing forward Alex Fudge to NBA draft

Todd Golden has one more roster spot to fill thorough the transfer portal this offseason now that forward Alex Fudge is going pro.

After just one year with the Florida Gators, forward [autotag]Alex Fudge[/autotag] is leaving the college ranks and entering his name into the 2023 NBA draft pool as he pursues a professional career.

Swamp247’s Jacob Rudner first reported the news Thursday night at the tail end of the football team’s Orange and Blue Game, and Fudge’s departure caught plenty of fans off guard. That might not be the case for those who pay close attention to the team’s transfer portal movement, though.

Florida is in the process of replacing all but five members of its scholarship roster from a season ago, and there’s been a heavy focus on frontcourt depth. Todd Golden and Co. have already secured center [autotag]Micah Handlogten[/autotag] and forward [autotag]EJ Jarvis[/autotag] through the portal, but they have continued to schedule official visits with big men that would not have found much playing time with Fudge on the roster.

While it’s unclear whether Golden knew that Fudge was seriously considering leaving or not, he’s been putting together a plan to deal with another lost player from the 2022-23 team.

Fudge started just 11 games for Florida during the middle of the season before going down with a concussion. By the time he got healthy again, Golden had switched to a small ball lineup with [autotag]Riley Kugel[/autotag] and [autotag]Will Richard[/autotag] starting at the three and four.

The LSU transfer finished his only year at Florida averaging 5.8 points and 4.5 rebounds in 19.4 minutes per game.

Florida has four scholarship spots open now that Fudge is off the roster.

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Gators add Iona G Walter Clayton Jr. through transfer portal

Florida basketball continues to add pieces through the transfer portal, and the latest addition is a lights-out shooter from Iona that was the conference player of the year last season.

For the second day in a row, the Florida Gators added a key piece to its men’s basketball team through the transfer portal.

Former Iona guard [autotag]Walter Clayton Jr[/autotag]. announced his commitment to the University of Florida Tuesday morning, making him the 10th scholarship player on the Gators’ 2023-24 roster. Clayton’s decision is not only significant because it’s a new name for Gator Nation to learn, but he also chose UF over St. John’s, which is where his old coach Rick Pitino is now.

The SEC is obviously appealing, but Clayton’s commitment — along with the additions of big men [autotag]EJ Jarvis[/autotag] and [autotag]Micah Handlogten[/autotag] — signals that top transfer players are open to joining what Todd Golden and Co. have going in Gainesville.

Of course, Florida lost several players of its own through the portal, which has left an incredible amount of minutes to replace. Playing time in an elite conference is always enticing.

Clayton averaged 16.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists for the Gaels last season and won the MAAC Player of the Year Award. The name of the game for Clayton is scoring, and he does it efficiently. He shot well over 40.0%  from three-point range last season and is a 95.3% shooter at the stripe.

Florida is adding a smart player that usually puts up good shots and makes the right decision. He’ll help space the floor for the bigs on the team and be the second option to [autotag]Riley Kugel[/autotag] out wide often.

A starting five of Clayton, Kugel, [autotag]Will Richard[/autotag], [autotag]Alex Fudge[/autotag] and Handlogten seems realistic at this point, with [autotag]Denzel Aberdeen[/autotag], Jarvis and [autotag]Alex Szymczyk[/autotag] all fighting for minutes off the bench.

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Florida basketball adds elite transfer portal C Micah Handlogten

The Florida Gators men’s basketball team have added a second player through the transfer portal, former Marshall center Micah Handlogten.

The second year of the (Todd) Golden Era at Florida will look a lot different from the first with the departures of three of the team’s most prominent big men, Colin Castleton, Jason Jitoboh and CJ Felder.

Replacing the production those three provided is no easy task, especially Castleton’s workload, but the Gators added a major piece of its new-look frontcourt on Monday with the commitment of former Marshall center Micah Handlogten. The 7-foot-1-inch big man chose Florida over Auburn and NC State after entering the portal as one of the top big-man transfers in the country.

His commitment comes fresh off a visit to the Swamp over the weekend. On3’s Joe Tipton spoke with Handlogten about the decision and learned that the visit was among the many reasons the Sun Belt Freshman of the Year chose Florida.

“I chose Florida because of the opportunity that the University holds,” Handlogten said. “They have an opening for a center to come in and play major minutes. After going on my visit, I mesh really well with the players and I love the coaches. I really think I can thrive under their coaching and become a pro at Florida.”

Handlogten is among the nation’s top shot blockers, which is something Florida fans have gotten used to with Castleton down low. Speaking of the now-former Gator, Castleton was a direct participant in Handlogten’s recruitment, according to Jacob Rudner of 247Sports. The two big men caught up during Handlogten’s recent visit, and Castleton sold the University of Florida to him.

Gainesville is certainly a good place for big men to thrive, and Handlogten has the numbers to warrant a starting role right away. He averaged 7.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, 2.3 blocks and 1.2 assists in 25.3 minutes per game as a freshman.

His conditioning should only improve, which means his playing time will too. Averaging a double-double seems attainable for him in his first season in the SEC.

Handlogten is the second transfer to join the Gators over the offseason. Former Yale forward EJ Jarvis is also committed to Florida, and the two could spend plenty of time on the court together next season.

Alex Fudge, Riley Kugel and Will Richard all figure to be major pieces for UF next season, and guard Denzel Aberdeen should get a chance to play more as a sophomore.

Alex Szymczyk is the other returning player on the roster, and freshmen Thomas Haugh and Alex Condon will join the team. That leaves four scholarship spots left for Florida to fill through the transfer portal.

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Riley Kugel set to return to Florida for 2023-24 season

Riley Kugel isn’t going anywhere! The Florida Gators are getting the SEC All-Freshman back for a second year.

For the second-straight year, Florida men’s basketball coach Todd Golden has secured the return of the top player set to depart his team.

On Tuesday, All-Freshman SEC guard [autotag]Riley Kugel[/autotag] announced his decision to come back to the Gators for a second year after briefly considering the NBA draft. Kugel was Florida’s best scorer down the stretch, averaging more than 18 points a game over the Gator’s final eight games. He also scored 20 or more three times during that stretch.

Although he struggled early on, Kugel blossomed as he got more minutes on the court. Colin Castleton’s injury created a need for scoring, and Kugel didn’t miss a beat. He improved his three-point shooting throughout the year and will be a key piece of the lineup next year along with Alex Fudge and Will Richard.

Kugel’s return to UF is also a huge boost in the recruiting department. Transfer portal players want to share the court with future NBA talents, and Kugel is already getting looks.

He was the first commitment for Florida under Todd Golden, so it’s only fitting that Kugel be the one to lead what everyone hopes is a far more successful second year of the new regime.

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