Florida basketball: Gators add Michigan big man to roster
While Florida basketball had a pair of players declare for the NBA Draft Sunday, they also got some very good news regarding a transfer.
Replacing Kerry Blackshear Jr. wasn’t going to be an easy task for Florida basketball coach Mike White.
Note: Andrew Nembhard and Tre Mann both declared for the NBA Draft on Sunday.
However, on Sunday, the Gators got the news that they may have someone in line to do just that.
Michigan center Colin Castleton announced he would be transferring from Ann Arbor to Gainesville for the available season. He will have two years of eligibility remaining, but NCAA rules state that Castleton will have to sit out next year.
It could be possible with the abrupt close of the 2019-2020 season, the NCAA could be a little more forgiving and let transfer players have immediate eligibility.
Castleton is a 6-foot-10 center who graduated from Father Lopez High School in Daytona Beach and was heavily recruited by Florida basketball coming out of high school.
Of course, Florida wasn’t the only school as Castleton was the No. 128-ranked recruit in the Class of 2018.
What Castleton brings to Florida basketball
Well, for one, he brings an inside presence.
At 6-10 Castleton has the potential to dominate in the paint.
However, no one really got to see that in his two seasons with the Wolverines as he was used “sparingly” to say the least.
He started zero games at Michigan and only racked up an average of six minutes of playing time per game. He scored 36 field goals and shot 50 percent from the field.
Last season, for head coach Juwan Howard, Castleton had 60 rebounds — including 42 defensive grabs — along with 13 blocked shots in 25 appearances. He was 27-of-46 shooting last year — going 59 percent from the field.
He was versatile, playing both center and power forward — something Florida basketball could certainly use.
Why is Castleton leaving Michigan?
In his two seasons with the Wolverines, Castleton never really found a spot. He played behind both Jon Teske and Austin Davis, meaning there was no clear way for him to start.
However, both of them are graduating, meaning there is something else behind his transfer to Florida basketball.
Colin Castleton. 526. . University of Michigan. C. player. Scouting Report. Center
He was recruited by former Michigan coach John Beilein, who left last season. He never really seemed to gel with new Wolverines’ coach Howard.
Castleton will join a Florida basketball team still searching for consistency it missed during the last season. In White’s fifth year, the Gators were 19-12, including an 11-7 mark in the Southeastern Conference.
They were riding the NCAA tournament bubble when the season was called off due to the coronavirus.
This is a good pickup for Florida basketball as they were in need of a potentially solid big man inside with the absence of Blackshear.
Next. Andrew Nembhard may not be ready for the NBA. dark
Perhaps he can help establish that consistency the Gators have been on the hunt for.