Mike White stressing selflessness for Florida Gators basketball

When a team gets a new coach, both the coaches and players need time to adapt to their new situation. Coaches must work to build a new culture when they take over a program. Florida Gators basketball coach Mike White is now entering his second season and is still trying to figure out new ways to improve the culture of his team.

Last season, many called the Gators a selfish team. White has openly expressed his displeasure with the individual style of play he saw from Florida a year ago. He saw guys playing for themselves instead of the overall good of the team. “I wouldn’t categorize us as extremely selfish, but I wouldn’t categorize us as the most selfless team around or in our league,” he said. “We need to be more selfless. We allowed noise our guys had to deal with to affect our energy level, to affect our intensity level and other areas.”

Maybe the Gators were a selfish team. Or maybe it was a mix of both a little selfishness and a lot of uncertainty. In White’s first season, players and coaches were still working to get comfortable with one another. Players were still getting to know their teammates both on and off the court.

“I think we’re more of a team this year and just more bought in to do whatever coach tells us to do,” said junior guard Chris Chiozza. “Last year, we did what he asked, but this year I think everybody, like we already had a feeling of what to do before he tells us to do it. Just more in-tune with each other and the coaching staff.”

Not only have players gotten a better feel for the new coaching style White and his staff bring, they have worked on building better relationships with each other. “We’ve grown closer together since last year,” Chiozza said. “It’s just over time, you get closer connections with people. I think that the second year is going to be a big step for us.”

Improving team chemistry is something White has stressed throughout this offseason. He as well believes the Gators are heading in the right direction to make strides in that area this season. It has showed in Florida’s scrimmages and exhibitions leading up to the season.

“I’m pleased with where we’re at with our chemistry right now,” said White. “With our scrimmage and our exhibition game I thought we were really rooting for each other and passing the okay ones to get really good ones, guys making the right plays consistently whether they were scoring or not. Those are all things to evaluate in preseason, things that are important specifically to this team, which will be an improvement from last year.”

While things are looking up in that area, the first real test to see how well this team has melded together will be this Friday when Florida takes on FGCU. It’s a brand new season and all excuses are out the window. This is one of the most experienced teams Florida has ever had. The roster returns four starters, 521 Division-I games played, and 295 Division-I starts.

“We’ll be as experienced as any team in the SEC,” White said. “And the challenge there with guys on their way out, with juniors who are very, very talented who may have options, with three seniors, can winning be at the forefront of their minds on a consistent basis more than anything else? Can our locker room be really, really healthy? Can we be really cohesive, pulling for each other on a consistent basis, have a healthy rivalry and competition throughout practice, but be very, very close? Those factors are big for us. If we can do so, we have a chance to be really good.”

 

 

Bailiegh Carlton
A lifelong sports fan, Bailiegh Carlton knew from a young age that she wanted to work in sports in some capacity. Before transferring to the University of Florida to study journalism, she played softball at Gulf Coast State College. She then interned for Gator Country for three years as she worked toward her degree. After graduation, Bailiegh decided to explore other opportunities in the world of sports, but all roads led her right back here. In her time away, she and her husband welcomed a beautiful baby girl into the world. When she isn't working, she can almost always be found snuggled up with sweet baby Ridley, Cody and her four fur babies.