Where Could the Gators Look Next in the Point Guard Recruiting Department?

Todd Golden and Co. have amply poured into the 2024 recruiting class in an attempt to equip the future of the roster with elite-level pieces.

Thus far, Florida has made a strong impression on high-level talents such as Flory Bidunga and John Bol, each of which would be huge additions to the reconstructed frontcourt roster.

In the backcourt, the Gators made a considerable push for talented Las Vegas-based point guard Dedan Thomas Jr. and received buzz regarding his potential to suit up in orange and blue at the next level.

However, on Sunday, Thomas pledged himself to UNLV, providing the Rebels a massive legacy commitment as the dynamic floor general followed in the footsteps of his father. On Florida’s side, the commitment served as an early blow to the program’s potential in the 2024 class.

Isaiah Brown’s alignment with UF later on the same day lessened the strength of the blow as the Orlando native served to mend the program’s backcourt recruiting while simultaneously providing a capable body to operate in a ball-handling role in the future.

However, Brown’s skill set aligns better with that of a secondary ball handler, suggesting he’ll be better suited as the team’s two-guard when his name is called upon collegiately.

As a result, despite the masterful job by Florida’s staff to pair the loss of Thomas with the acquisition of Brown, the Gators are expected to remain active in the point guard market in the coming months.

That marks the question: What will UF’s reshaped recruiting efforts look like for the remainder of the 2024 cycle, and who could emerge as the team’s next top target?

There is a limit on the number of prospects Florida will target moving forward, namely due to the staff’s selective nature when it comes to the position. A scheme emphasizing fluidity in responsibility among point-and-shoot guards also contributes to that.

Searching for an uber-specific makeup that encompasses an all-around ability with length defensively and playmaking skills offensively, they haven’t swayed much from that mold since arriving in Gainesville.

Ideally, the model is to equip the roster with a dynamic one-two punch in the backcourt similar to Jamarree Bouyea and Khalil Shabazz in the final year of Golden’s tenure at San Francisco.

As a result, the Gators have sent out documented offers to just five prospects thus far in the cycle. Two of them, following Thomas’ decision to stay in Nevada with UNLV, are committed elsewhere while Lexington (Ky.) prospect Travis Perry and Atlanta’s Jeremiah Wilkinson are not.

However, four-star Curtis Givens III stands out among the two uncommitted players in the fold.

Holding 22 offers and ranking as the No. 10 point guard in the class (No. 74 overall player nationally), the Monteverde Academy prospect is of little drop off from the talent Thomas brings to the table.

Previously occupying a role at Memphis University School (Tenn.), Givens performed as a dynamic three-level scorer and shot creator with the facilitation background to fill the void at Florida’s one.

Standing at 6-foot-2, 170 pounds, Givens exemplifies a larger frame which he uses on both ends of the floor effectively. His length presents a string defensive upside, making the likelihood of Florida’s pursuit even greater.

His propensity to get the rim offensively mimics that of Thomas — who produces significantly in that area with an arsenal of moves on the inside, including scoop layups, floaters, baseline fadeaways or passes through traffic into the hands of his teammates.

Givens, in contrast, finishes in a more natural form as he goes up strong through contact in most instances while using his soft touch as a complement when forced to work over the trees in the paint. His comfort as a jump shooter also takes pressure off of the need to operate the offense solely through him, presenting a net positive for the team’s fluid backcourt operation with the desire to run sets almost equally through the one and two.

The two take different approaches, but they’re equally effective.

Nonetheless, Givens' ability to attack the rim and come away with a bucket, produce points as a playmaker or knock down jump shots from the perimeter present the exact skill set the Gators are looking for from their primary ball handler, especially after the struggles there in 2022-23.

There are still several options available to target moving forward.

But, Florida will have to move quickly as it attempts to out-recruit top schools for the level of talent it’s after while simultaneously looking to build a class around a highly touted point guard.

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