You'd think after winning the national title, Florida Gators head coach Todd Golden would sit back and relax a little bit right? Nope, not a chance. It looks like Golden is already shifting his focus to next season and his staff knows Florida will need help in bringing in new talent.
Yup, Golden and Co. are going to have to hit the portal hard to bring in some veteran experience. Might the list include Princeton point guard Xaivian Lee? Earlier this month, the Ivy League standout entered the portal and several teams are in the mix to try and land him. According to reporter Adam Zagoria, Florida is expected to be among the long list of suitors for Lee, along with St. John's and North Carolina:
Florida, St. John’s and UNC are among schools expected to be involved for @PrincetonMBB transfer PG Xaivian Lee
— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) April 8, 2025
Averaged 16.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg and 5.5 apg pic.twitter.com/OH0GIrQ8hk
Florida will reportedly make a push to land stud transfer PG Xaivian Lee
Come next season, Florida fans will have to get used to seeing the Gators take the floor without standouts Walter Clayton Jr., Will Richard and Alijah Martin. Clayton is coming off an unreal performance in the NCAA Tournament. From start to finish, he was easily one of the best players out there.
While he didn't shoot well in the final vs. Houston, his defensive play at the end of the game helped UF take home its third title in program history. Replacing Clayton of course isn't going to be easy, but Lee is a floor general. He's a fantastic shooter and a tremendous passer too.
During the 2023-24 season, the Toronto product averaged 17.1 points and 3.7 assists per game. Then this past campaign, he poured in 16.9 points per contest, adding 5.5 assists and 6.1 rebounds. He was as steady as can be, which is why plenty of teams will be working overtime to land him.
From our chair, North Carolina might be Florida's biggest threat for the Lee sweepstakes. The Heels are in desperate need of a new point guard with Elliot Cadeau transferring to Michigan. However, Florida can sell Lee on joining a program that just won March Madness. That means something. Will it be enough for Lee to make the moves to Gainesville? We should find out soon enough.