Rueben Chinyelu Reflects on Gators' Career, Upset Loss in NCAA Tournament: 'I Just Feel So Bad'

TAMPA-- As reporters flocked into a quiet and tense locker room after the Florida Gators' shocking upset loss to Iowa in the NCAA Tournament Round of 32, Rueben Chinyelu sat in his locker alone.

A towel hung over his head. The viral shell necklace a fan had gifted him two days prior – representative of the shells he used to wear in his hair until he was forced to remove them – sat to his left.

The usual bright and bubbly Chinyelu, affectionately known as "Big Freaky" by his teammates and known in press conferences for his trademark "beautiful" statements, was inconsolable after what possibly could have been his last game with the program.

"I just really wanted to play much longer with these guys," he told Florida Gators on SI. "Just keep the season rolling. To have it end like this, it's not what we wanted or intended."

Florida Gators center Rueben Chinyelu was limited in Sunday's loss to Iowa. | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

Chinyelu's journey during his second season at Florida is well-documented.

Hailing from Nigeria, Chinyelu began his career at Washington State before transferring to Florida last season. While far from the star of the 2025 title team, his defensive presence was felt down low. This year, he blossomed into one of the sport's best stars while having one of the program's best single seasons of all time.

Averaging 10.9 points and 11.2 rebounds per game, he became the first Gator to average a double-double in 50 years, while breaking the program's single-season records for offensive rebounds (137) and double-doubles (19).

Outside of the growth on the court, Chinyelu has been one of the brightest personalities no matter the circumstances, always expressing his thankfulness to be a part of the program, his gratefulness to have the teammates he has and his humbleness when asked about records, stats and accolades.

It's what made it difficult for him to express what this program has meant to him the last two years.

"It means to much to me, just being around these guys, playing with them, having a family," an emotional Chinyelu said while struggling to fight back tears. "Just being far from home, and then you have people that value you, that want the best for you, it just means so much.

"I would never trade it for anything."

As the emotions came, so did more reporters and more cameras and so did more emotions.

So did associate head coach Carlin Hartman. A well-known players-first coach who is possibly a candidate for multiple head-coaching opportunities, Hartman quickly moved across the locker room to console Chinyelu.

"Look up. Answer the question," Hartman told Chinyelu, helping him keep his head up. "You're good. You can talk. C'mon kid."

Possibly one last motivation from Hartman to Chinyelu, as a coach to his player, allowed him to finish answering.

"It just means to much to me, just having people around here, just being far from home. Didn't get to see my family for the past two years," Chinyelu said. "It just means so much. I love them, and I appreciate everything. Just having them around, everyone believing in me, the coaches, the managers, my teammates. I will never trade that for anything.

"I just wish that we kept it going. I'm just so mad that I wasn't able to help my teammates tonight. This team means so much to me, and I just appreciate them. Appreciate Gator Nation, everything."

Florida Gators center Rueben Chinyelu and associate head coach Carlin Hartman, seen here against Merrimack. | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

Chinyelu may have rounded out his college career with one of the statistically worst outings of his career, finishing scoreless on 0-for-1 shooting with just one rebound. He also battled foul trouble for most of the game. He recorded his fourth with 12:20 left in the second half and did not play for over seven minutes.

"We were not strong enough around the rim in the first half, nor were we able to get any deep post catches," head coach Todd Golden said. "A lot of his opportunities around the glass as well, he had no offensive rebounds tonight. So I think a combination of that was the reason he was not as effective as normal."

Chinyelu returned to the floor with 5:12 left but was subbed out less than two minutes later. He watched from the bench as Iowa's Alvaro Folgueiras hit the game-winning 3-pointer with four seconds left before Florida's offense failed to get a shot off to end the game.

It would have been easy for Chinyelu to be angry that he was not on the floor, or angry that he did not have a good statistical outing or angry at the circumstances and everyone else. Instead, as he did during the highs, his mind remained on his teammates at his lowest point.

"I just feel so bad, letting everyone, letting my teammates down," he said.

Nonetheless, the performance does not negate the impact Chinyelu has had in helping Florida win a national title last season, in helping the Gators win an SEC regular-season title this year and on his teammates over the last two seasons.

Alex Condon called him a "hell of a player," pointing to his physicality and rebounding. Micah Handlogten pointed to Chinyelu "pushing us all to be the best version of ourselves," while highlighting his charitable efforts to donate shoes to kids in Nigeria.

"It's hard to put into words just how good of a person he is," Handlogten said.

Boogie Fland, despite having only played one season with Chinyelu, felt the impact as well.

"He's everything. He's my brother," he told Florida Gators on SI. "I know he wouldn't trade it for the world. I wouldn't trade it for the world. I know he'd do anything for me."

If you needed one moment to sum up that side of Chinyelu, just watch him on the bench as his teammates have success. In Friday's blowout win over Prairie View A&M, 7-foot-9 redshirt freshman Olivier Rioux dunked to become the tallest player to score in an NCAA Tournament game. What the cameras and social media did not fully see was Chinyelu on the bench leading the "We Want Ollie" chants inside Benchmark International Arena.

He did it in Exactech Arena in Gainesville. He did it in other SEC arenas around the country. And, it what ended up being Florida's last win of the season and fresh off breaking the program's double-double record, he did it in Tampa.

"You guys don't see behind the scenes," Chinyelu told the media after the game. "(The reserves) get ready, they're getting us ready, they're playing with us, trying to make sure we have what we need to deliver. I think that's the gift of -- I would say the time to give them, to repay them as a thank you for what you guys do."

Rueben Chinyelu and his teammates celebrate as Olivier Rioux scores in the NCAA Tournament. | Kyle Lander / Florida Gators on SI

Chinyelu now has a decision to make. He initially declared for the NBA Draft last season to gain knowledge and feedback before ultimately returning to Florida. His stock has certainly improved, but with Condon and Thomas Haugh potentially moving on, as well as Handlogten waiting on an NCAA waiver for an additional season, there is still a great opportunity for him at Florida.

"I don't know right now," Chinyelu said when asked about what is next for him. "Just focus on the present. We'll see what the future has for me."