Key Piece Returning to Florida Gators

The Florida Gators got good news from the NBA Draft and a key piece to the 2024/25 season.

Florida Gators guard Will Richard / Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

Will Richard, a key piece from last year’s Florida Gators basketball team, is now expected to return for his senior year per both 247 Sports’s Jacob Rudner and The Field of 68’s Jeff Goodman. 

Richard tested the NBA waters and went through the pre-draft process that takes place every year, but it seems that the advice and feedback he received guided him back to the Gators for his senior campaign. 

This is major news for the Gators as they were awaiting his decision on whether or not he was going to return to school or stay in the draft. 

Last year, Richard averaged 11.4 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game in 36 total games. Additionally, he will return as one of the Gators better 3-point shooters from a season ago, shooting 34.5 percent from behind the arc. 

An important piece ever since joining the Gators from Belmont University two years ago, Richard now finds himself as one of the more experienced leaders for the Gators going into the next season. He's started 65 of the Gators' 68 games the last two years.

Currently, the expected starting lineup for the 2024-25 season looks something like this:

Alijah Martin
Walter Clayton Jr. (If he returns)
Will Richard
Sam Alexis
Alex Condon

This decision by Richard also gives Todd Golden slight relief knowing his starting wing from last year has returned, but he still awaits one more from one of, if not, his best players with Richard only being half the puzzle. 

The other half being Walter Clayton Jr. 

Clayton Jr. will have until the 29th of May to decide on if he is going to keep his name in the draft or withdraw and return to school. 

If he returns to Florida as expected, this Gators team should be highly ranked going into the start of next season. Moreover, they could potentially be a leading candidate to win the SEC or even a dark horse for the NCAA Tournament. 

This team will have experience, depth and coaching among other qualities that tournament winning teams show while they also have improved defensively on paper through the transfer portal. 

Expectations are high for the Florida Gators in 2024/25, and with Richard returning, they just got a little higher.