Florida Gators G/F Scottie Lewis To Sign Agent; Enters NBA Draft

Next season, the Gators will be embodying the motto famously coined by award-winning rapper Drake: “Nothing Was the Same.”

The Florida Gators are undergoing a significant remodeling headed into next season, with seven total players potentially departing from the program following their second-round exit from the NCAA tournament.

Gators Forward Colin Castleton Enters NBA Draft, Retains Eligibility

On March 30, UF big man Omar Payne announced he would be entering the transfer portal with another Gators player following him out of the door.

Moments ago, small forward Scottie Lewis has announced his intentions to move on from the Gators program by signing an agent and entering the 2021 NBA Draft following two seasons with at UF.

Hailing from Hazlet, N.J., Lewis was a highly touted recruit coming out of high school as one of two five stars to arrive on campus as part of the 2019 cycle alongside Tre Mann. Seeing early success in blue and orange upon his arrival, Lewis started in 22 of 30 games played in his freshman season, averaging 29.1 minutes per game in the process.

Posting 8.5 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.2 steals on average in those contests, the length he provided to the defensive side and slashing ability to the basket from time to time provided excitement for the future of his career.

Expected to take a big jump in his sophomore campaign due to his physical attributes and impressive freshman season, Lewis disappointed in the action he saw in 2020-21. Coming off the bench in favor of a three-guard lineup consisting of Tyree Appleby, Mann and Noah Locke, Lewis would average just 7.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game in a lackluster fashion.

However, flashing the immense potential that pegged him as a five-star out of high school, Lewis is slated to benefit from more free reign to penetrate off the dribble and create scoring opportunities for himself to complement his incredible defensive prowess.

Florida is now in a massive hole looking forward to next season. With a possible seven spots (with Castleton in a position to come back to UF if he chooses) to fill from this year's roster to next, aggressively pursuing transfer portal talent will be a must for the Gators if they look to refill the supporting cast alongside Appleby and Anthony Duruji.

Lewis’ career as a Gators will go down as a severe dark spot on Florida’s history, given the underperformance and underdevelopment during his time in Gainesville despite his promising, yet raw, skillset.

Lewis now enters the next chapter of his basketball career, looking to provide an NBA squad with a high-ceiling athlete that excels on the defensive end.