Florida Basketball: With Will Richard returning, expectations for Gators will be high

Todd Golden had a busy transfer portal cycle, picking up several new players for the 2024/25 campaign. But one of the potential hiccups for Florida Basketball was whether or not two of their key players were going to return or if they were off to the NBA.

Florida has gotten some great news as Will Richard officially announced his intention to return to Gainesville for his senior season.

Florida Basketball: If I Was A Richard Man

Richard originally came to Florida after his freshman campaign at Belmont, where he put up 12.1 points per game and 6.0 rebounds.

Playing in the SEC, Richard hasn't quite met those marks in Gainesville but has been a key cog for the Gators the last two seasons. Last year, Richard averaged 11.4 points per game on 41% shooting and was Florida's fourth-leading scorer.

Coming off an appearance in the SEC championship game and a seven seed in the NCAA Tournament, several national publications have placed the Gators in their "Way Too Early Top 25."

But one key caveat to the expectations for the Gators was whether or not Richard and Walter Clayton were coming back. Both entered their name into the NBA Draft process and took part in the NBA Combine. As part of the process, players have the option to remove their name by Wednesday if they don't feel they will be drafted high enough to warrant leaving college.

Neither Richard nor Clayton are expected to be drafted so it makes sense to head back to Gainesville. No official word yet on what Clayton will be doing.