Gators Basketball Coach Todd Golden Provides Injury Update on Micah Handlogten
Florida Gators forward Micah Handlogten was injured in the SEC Championship game against Auburn.
Florida Gators forward Micah Handlogten, who suffered a season-ending fracture in his lower-left leg during the team’s SEC Tournament championship loss to Auburn, will likely redshirt for the 2024-2025 season, head coach Todd Golden revealed on Friday in a press conference.
“I think that, just from talking to him, the number one key in my mind is his comfort and his recovery,” Golden said. “Knock on wood, he had a great surgery. Everything at Vanderbilt went really, really well.”
Just two minutes into Florida’s eventual 86-67 loss to Auburn, Handlogten landed awkwardly on his left ankle while attempting to rebound a shot. After leaving on a stretcher, Handlogten was transferred to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn., and had surgery.
He remained in Nashville rather than return to Gainesville so he could travel to watch the team’s first round matchup against Colorado in the NCAA Tournament.
In his place, Florida will likely rely on rising sophomore Alex Condon, who played in Handlogten’s place in the Gators’ NCAA Tournament loss to Colorado, as well as incoming transfers Rueben Chinyelu and Sam Alexis.
“Talking to (Handlogten), I think it’d be best for him to know that he doesn’t feel pressure to kind of get back quick, which we didn’t want him to feel at all anyway,” Golden said. “So, we had that conversation. It was great because I think it provided clarity to him and gave him comfort, and in a way, it helps us.”
Golden explained that before Chinyelu and Alexis’ transfer to the program, there would have been uncertainty at the forward position had they not decided on Handlogten’s availability for next season.
“It was good for Micah, and it was good for our program, and now he can just pour all of his efforts into his rehab and not feel the pressure of ‘I need to try to get back on the court by November,’” Golden said.
A Marshall transfer, Handlogten started in 32 of his 33 appearances last season while averaging 5.3 points and 6.9 rebounds a game. His 108 offensive rebounds rank second in single-season total in school history.