Former Gators Guard Commits to Rival SEC Program

The Florida Gators lose a key piece of next season's roster to a rival program in the SEC

Right after a ring, the Gators lose a key player to a rival via the portal | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Just a few days after announcing that he would be entering the NCAA’s transfer portal, Florida Gators guard Denzel Aberdeen will be committing to rival Kentucky, according to On3 Basketball Reporter Joe Tipton.

NEWS: Florida transfer guard Denzel Aberdeen has committed to Kentucky, source tells @On3sports. https://t.co/mSgJyZqHUY pic.twitter.com/2E8X1AeW7O

— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) April 21, 2025

Aberdeen had spent two years in Gainesville, providing a spark off the bench while helping Florida win the 2025 NCAA Championship.

 In his junior season, the Orlando native averaged 7.7 points-per-game, even knocking down a key free throw late in the NCAA Championship to give Florida a 65-53 lead over Houston.

While he was not one of the team's three primary scorers, he flashed his offensive talents throughout the season. Earlier in the year, Aberdeen scored 22 points in a win over South Carolina, finishing the night as Florida’s leading scorer. He also led Florida in scoring while dropping 20 points in a win over No.22 ranked Mississippi State.

Aberdeen showed some impressive development from his sophomore season, where he averaged just 3.3 points per game  while playing 9.9 minutes-per-game, compared to 19.7 minutes this year.

Aberdeen was one of the three scholarship players from last year’s team that have entered the portal so far, joining Sam Alexis and Kajus Kublickas. However, he is the only player among the three to have found a new home already.

Losing a potential starter to a rival program coming off a National Championship brings a sting. Kentucky is one of Florida's top rivals in the college basketball realm.

However, they recently added a highly-touted guard from the transfer portal that could fill the departing player's role.

Princeton’s Xaivian Lee was a four-star portal prospect according to 247Sports, being heavily pursued by Kansas and St.Johns after earning back-to-back First-Team All Ivy League selections. Last season, Lee averaged 16.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game.