Florida basketball: Way-too-early projected starting 5 for 2020-21

Another surprise, this time off the bench, was freshman forward Omar Payne.

He was Mike White’s first choice to replace Blackshear off the bench and was smart with the basketball — shooting a team-high 61 percent from the field.

It’s hard to use the 2019-20 numbers as justification for Payne because they aren’t there. That said, he was strong on the glass, averaging 3.8 rebounds per game in just 15.1 minutes per game.

He was actually fourth on the team in rebounds — 54 offensive and 53 defensive — despite not playing nearly as much as the three players ahead of him.

For me, the biggest thing about Payne was his grit when he was on the floor. He made the most of his playing time, not to score, but to help the team.

If Payne can bulk up a bit more — currently he’s listed at 6-foot-10, 223 pounds — he can be a dominant force in the paint for Florida basketball. For his size, Payne is quick and seems very smart when it comes to positioning himself under the basket.

All told, Florida basketball returns a very young squad for next season, but they have a year’s worth of experience.

If they can get past the inconsistencies that plagued them this year, they have the potential to be a team to reckon with in 2020-21.