Florida Gators Forward Tuongthach Gatkek Enters NCAA Transfer Portal

Florida Gators reserve forward Tuongthach Gatkek entered his name into the transfer portal on Thursday, according to Matt Zenitz of On3Sports.

The Gators' roster has quickly grown thin as multiple team members left following last season, with guards Phlandrous Fleming Jr. and Brandon McKissic seeing their collegiate eligibility expire while Anthony Duruji declared for the NBA Draft and Tyree Appleby elected to play his final season elsewhere.

Now, Gatkek joins Appleby in the portal to bring the total up to five certain departures with more still pending.

The 6'9", 172-pound piece rotational player produced valuably at points for the Gators in his one year with the team. Specifically, during center Colin Castelton's multi-game absence in the middle of the season due to a shoulder injury.

Gaktkek averaged 1.7 points, 1.8 rebounds, 0.8 blocks and shot nearly 50% from the field in 21 games.

Showcasing length, a knack to protect the rim and the ability to play bigger than he is on the interior, Gatkek will be an intriguing option for teams looking to supply depth at the forward position.

However, the JUCO transfer just before the 2021-22 season is still a year or two away from playing significant starting time due to his skinny frame, which can result in him getting pushed off his spot against more traditional frontcourt players.

Todd Golden and Florida now expand the search in the portal for depth across the unit following his departure. They'll look for someone to pair alongside the likes of CJ Felder and promising true freshmen Jalen Reed at the four spot heading into next season.

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