Florida basketball: Gators in lead for 5-star PG Mikel Brown Jr.

Florida basketball reshaped its roster over the spring and summer through the transfer portal, as they look to rebuild and make it back to national relevance.

Todd Golden is also working hard on the trail, aiming to recruit and develop talent that will be with the Gators for 3-4 years.

One of those guys is 2025 5-star PG Mikel Brown Jr., out of Orlando. Brown recently made a trip to see Gainesville and the Gators.

As of right now, Golden and the Gators currently sit on top of Mikel’s recruitment.

Florida basketball: Highly ranked, highly sought after

Brown is one of the best players in the 2025 class, and the rankings reflect that. On3’s Industry Ranking has him as the 14th-best player in the country, the 2nd-best point guard, and the 4th-best player coming out of Florida.

With these types of rankings, it’s no surprise that some of the best basketball programs in the country are after him.

Mikel has offers from Auburn, Kansas, Indiana, Kansas State, Florida, and many others.

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Despite all these teams on his tail, it’s the Gators that currently lead for him per On3’s RPM. Granted, with so much time left in his recruitment, there aren’t any heavy favorites. The Gators have the best chance to secure his commitment at 9.9%. It’s very evenly spread.

But the Gators do have a clear advantage over a lot of these other schools. As I mentioned, Mikel is from Orlando and plays his high school ball at First Academy. That proximity to home already has and will continue to help Florida get him on campus for visits.

Also, the Gators have a chance to show the country that their basketball team is on the rise when they take the court.

They have plenty of talent, and it’s obvious that elite players want to play for Golden given his work in the portal.

If Florida can prove that they’re trending up, there won’t be a lot stopping Mikel from becoming a Gator.