Australian large man Alex Condon will withdraw his identify from the 2025 NBA draft and return to Florida for his junior season, he instructed ESPN on Tuesday.
“It is a actually good scenario ready for me there,” Condon stated. “An incredible coach with Todd Golden. Teammates I received a nationwide championship with. I’ve nice chemistry with these boys. We have now a very good switch class coming in. I anticipate guys to make a leap. My large man coach, Carlin Hartman, is returning, so I’ll hold creating my sport with him.”
Condon, the No. 38 prospect in ESPN’s draft projections, performed an integral position in Florida’s nationwide championship run this yr and can have a significant say within the Gators’ hopes of repeating subsequent season.
“It is a onerous factor to do, profitable back-to-back,” Condon stated. “We’re not taking it calmly. We have to get collectively as a workforce. Get again to Gainesville, share in some hardship by way of onerous work in the summertime, and get used to enjoying with one another. A part of the rationale we had been so good final season was we bought used to enjoying with one another for 2 years. We have to proceed that. When guys have your again, that is what makes an awesome workforce.”
Condon was named third-team All-SEC after averaging 10.6 factors, 7.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.3 blocks in 24.9 minutes per sport.
He helped Florida to a 36-4 document, together with 12 straight wins to finish the season to safe the SEC event title after which minimize down the nets in San Antonio. He had a memorable efficiency within the nationwide championship sport, posting 12 factors, 7 rebounds and 4 steals in opposition to Houston, diving on the ground for a free ball within the closing seconds to seal the 65-63 victory.
“This was a surreal season,” Condon instructed ESPN. “There was a lot depth on this workforce, and all of us performed unselfishly. Quite a lot of guys stepped up in large moments. We had an awesome workforce, and that is the rationale we received the championship.”
The Perth, Australia-born large man was an afterthought in Florida’s 2024 highschool recruiting class, a late bloomer who began enjoying severe organized basketball at age 16. Previous to that, he favored cricket, water polo and particularly Australian guidelines soccer.
“My mother and father put me in loads of sports activities,” Condon stated. “That was good for creating my hand-eye coordination. Taking part in soccer helped me develop my toughness. I did not come to Florida with too many expectations. The teaching employees wager on me, and I needed to reward them by enjoying as onerous as I may. Coach Golden gave me the chance to play as a freshman, which helped my transition to this yr, the place I performed with extra confidence and have become an essential a part of the workforce.”
The NCAA deadline for gamers to withdraw from the NBA draft and preserve school eligibility is Wednesday at 11:59 p.m. ET.
Condon stated he labored out privately for eight NBA groups earlier than electing to return and spent 5 weeks in Irvine, California, making ready for the draft.
“I realized lots about myself,” Condon stated. “Isolating my sport and getting with trainers each day, studying easy methods to be constant. My jumper has improved immensely with how a lot work I’ve put into that. My general offensive bundle might be on show extra at Florida subsequent season.”
Golden can have a robust declare for the preseason No. 1 rating after additionally returning beginning heart Rueben Chinyelu and sixth man Thomas Haugh, who is predicted to transition into the beginning small ahead place subsequent season.
The Gators added two of the highest guards within the switch portal in Princeton’s Xaivian Lee and Arkansas’ Boogie Fland, in addition to Ohio’s AJ Brown, along with two top-40 highschool recruits in CJ Ingram (No. 21 in ESPN 100) and Alex Lloyd (No. 36 in ESPN 100). Seven-foot-1 senior large man Micah Handlogten will play an essential reserve position, together with junior Slovenian guard City Klavzar.
Jonathan Givony is an NBA draft professional and the founder and co-owner of DraftExpress.com, a non-public scouting and analytics service utilized by NBA, NCAA and Worldwide groups.
