Former Razorback pulls reversal; returns to college with SEC rival

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas lost one of its top players from the 2024-25 team to an SEC rival. Point guard Boogie Fland announced his commitment to Florida, the school announced Tuesday morning.

A native of Bronx, New York, Fland spent his freshman season under coach John Calipari with the Razorbacks and was the team's second leading scorer for the majority of the season. He averaged 15.5 points a game in 15 games before going down with a thumb injury that required surgery and missed the remainder of the regular season.

Ironically, it was the game against Florida in which Arkansas lost 71-63 that Fland initially sustained the injury after a teammate stepped on his hand.

Initially trying to play through the injury, Fland was shut down after the game against Missouri Jan. 18. In 21 games, he averaged 13.5 points per game and led the team with 5.1 assists, shooting 37.9% from the field, including 34% from beyond the arc. Fland scored a career-high 24 points against the Oakland Golden Grizzles on Dec. 30 and recorded his only double-double of the season against North Carolina A&T with 12 points and 11 assists Dec. 21.

He did return for the NCAA Tournament run to the Sweet 16 in three games against Kansas, St. John's and Texas Tech. Across the three games he played in just 53 minutes and scored 12 points.

Fland now joins the defending SEC Tournament champions and NCAA national champions. The Gators look to pull off back-to-back championships after Connecticut did the same in 2023 and 2024.

The Gators have already returned key pieces of the championship winning roster under coach Todd Golden, including center Ruben Chinyelu and forward Thomas Haugh. However, senior point guard Walter Clayton Jr. departed for the NBA Draft after a breakout March Madness performance. Will Richard and Allijah Martin also bid farewell, leaving Florida without its top three scorers.

Florida has already reloaded with Princeton transfer guard Xavian Lee and now adds Fland to the mix.

Entering the season as a potential lottery pick, Fland had fallen in most projections to a second-round pick after his up and down season marred by injury. ESPN had Fland No. 42 in its draft rankings before Fland officially withdrew from the draft last week.

Florida had long been considered the leader in the clubhouse to land Fland should he withdraw from the draft, with conflicting reports as to just how much NIL money was in play to try and entice him away from the draft.

Arkansas will play at least one game against Florida as part of the SEC schedule where Fland will face off against his old team, likely in Gainesville after the two teams met this year inside Bud Walton Arena.

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