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What Could the Starting Five Look Like for UF?

By Will Thomas

GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 05: Kowacie Reeves #14 of the Florida Gators gestures during the second half of a game against the Mississippi Rebels at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center on February 05, 2022 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 05: Kowacie Reeves #14 of the Florida Gators gestures during the second half of a game against the Mississippi Rebels at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center on February 05, 2022 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images) /
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What could the Gators starting 5 look like in 2022?

Now that things have settled down in the transfer portal, there is much more clarity for Todd Golden as to what his team will look like for his debut season in Gainesville, and he can start thinking about how to arrange his starting five.

In the past few days, highly touted transfer Johni Broome announced he would be going to Auburn over Florida, and recruit forward Jalen Reed announced he’d be going to SEC rival LSU.

While a few guys chose against coming to play for Golden, he still picked up Belmont transfer Will Richard, LSU transfer Alex Fudge, and VMI transfer Trey Bonham. He also kept stars Colin Castleton and Kowacie Reeves, who will be key pieces all year.

So with the roster more or less set for this season, how will Golden choose to line his guys up?

It seems likely that Trey Bonham and Will Richard will both be immediate starters, given their experience and talent, as well as the fact that the Gators are relatively thin at the guard position.

Kowacie Reeves will probably get the next spot as a versatile guy who can play like a guard but has the length to also be a solid presence in the paint. Colin Castleton will be a perennial starter, as he is the best big UF has and is the leader that Golden wants to have on the court as much as possible.

The fifth spot seems to be up for grabs, and it will depend on the way that Golden wants his team to play. He could go with Niels Lane, a more defensive presence who has some playing experience and can log solid minutes, although he may be more valuable coming off the bench.

If he wanted another big, Alex Fudge is a great option, as he would pair well with Castleton and give the Gators plenty of rim protection on the court. Inversely, Myreon Jones could be the pick for the final spot, giving Golden another guard on the court who would mainly serve as a shooter.

In my mind, you’ve got Bonham, Richard, Reeves, and Castleton locked into the starting five, and flexibility with the fifth option until someone emerges as the clear candidate to fill the role.

Keep up with Gator basketball here.

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