High School

Ex-Sunnyslope High School star Todd Golden wins college basketball national championship

The former Sunnyslope standout wins the national title with the Florida Gators

Caleb Sisk

Apr 7, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Florida Gators head coach Todd Golden reacts after cutting down a piece of the net after winning the national championship game of the Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament at the Alamodome.
Apr 7, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Florida Gators head coach Todd Golden reacts after cutting down a piece of the net after winning the national championship game of the Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament at the Alamodome. / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Todd Golden has been a great college basketball coach, but he was also a great high school basketball player.

Golden is a former Sunnyslope guard who was a standout in his playing days.

Golden had many outstanding plays as he mastered the game of basketball at the high school level, including an outstanding shot he made in the Arizona state championship game in 2002.

"In the 2002 state championship game against Page, he made this unbelievable shot as he was falling out of bounds," former Sunnyslope coach Dan Mannix told The Arizona Republic. "He threw it over the backboard, and it went in.

"When he made that shot, I turned to my assistant and said, 'We're going to win.'"

The talented player was awarded a fabulous shot award which was handed out by NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal.

Golden is just as accomplished of a coach as Monday he defeated the Houston Cougars with the Florida Gators to win the men's college basketball national championship. The Gators won by two points, 65-63, in a true test of their talent.

The head coach has been one of the greatest coaches in the SEC recently, and he is bringing the title back to what many believe is the toughest conference in the nation.

Golden has been supported by many, including his former coach in Mannix, who has claimed to be screaming and cheering for his former player from home.

Golden, 39, is one of the youngest coaches to lead a team to a national championship.

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Caleb Sisk
CALEB SISK

Caleb Sisk is a talented sports journalist from the state of Georgia. Originally from Chattanooga, Tennessee, Sisk's passion for sports grew. Bringing years of recruiting coverage experience, he has been named a National Recruiting Reporter and covers various college sites on the On SI network. He takes pride in covering recruiting and has been featured by numerous companies for his excellent coverage and knowledge. He has also spent time at other companies, including Rivals, where he covered the Tennessee Volunteers.

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