Hey hoop heads, we got some spicy news on the college basketball circuit that’s heating up more than a mid-July pavement.
So Denzel Aberdeen—you might know him as Florida’s secret sauce during their 2024-25 national championship run—is making some waves. Yep, he’s taking his talents to Kentucky, joining their Wildcat crew. Talk about jumping from one SEC power to another, right? Anyway, the buzz comes straight from 247Sports, and it’s got everyone talking.
If you’ve been keeping your eyes on college hoops, you probably noticed an emerging trend in Kentucky’s recruitment playbook. Apparently, they’re shifting gears from John Calipari’s flashy recruitment style to something more along the lines of Todd Golden’s approach. And Denzel, with his eyes on the prize (or a heavier wallet, more like), seems like the perfect fit. He was reportedly fishing for about $2 million in NIL agreements to stay in Florida. Now, while we’re on the intrigue train, no one’s confirmed just yet how much cash convinced him to make the swap.
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Reflecting on Denzel’s Florida chapter, here’s the scoop: He was hustlin’ behind a starry trio of guards—Walter Clayton Jr., Alijah Martin, and Will Richard—at UF. Still, he boogied his way into making a difference from the bench, pulling off clutch subs whenever injuries hit. Last season? Dude made it into all 40 games, starting five of them, dropping 7.6 points per game with a solid 41.7% field goal percentage. The three-ball? He nailed it 35% of the time. Could use some work at the free-throw line, though—71.2%. But hey, we all got our weak spots.
With Denzel’s exit, the Gators have been on a recruiting spree. They’ve snagged Xaivian Lee, one of the higher-tier names in the NCAA transfer portal, which shows they’re not sleeping on the job. Isaiah Brown, an up-and-comer, is still around to fill gaps, and four-star freshman Alex Lloyd is ready to pounce. Oh, and let’s not sleep on AJ Brown from Ohio Bobcats. He’s slated to pop by Gainesville for a lil’ look-see soon.
All this to say, the game is changing. Players are moving like they’re playing chess, not checkers—strategizing for both glory and green… and test driving new zip codes along the way.
Meanwhile, Florida’s cooking up more adjustments off the court, too. They’re bringing in ex-NYU head honcho Dave Klatsky to sharpen their coaching blades. Keeps things spicy, you know?
So, what do you think? Big move for Denzel? Smart play by Florida? Or just another day as the transfer portal world turns? Follow the drama on X (take note: formerly known as Twitter), Bluesky, or Facebook for all things Gators. It’s about to get even more interesting!
