Non-conference play allows the Gators to play some teams you might not watch regularly and that means a chance to see different styles of play, coaching, and of course–players. Today, we’re going to take a look at the best players the Gators will see in non-conference play and get you ready for the names you need to know.
Shelton Henderson
Miami
Shelton Henderson was a freshman at Miami last year and played against the Gators, though it was early enough that he was still figuring things out and wasn’t the kind of player he was by the end of the season. He did have a nice game against the Gators with 7 points in 21 minutes, but he finished the year averaging 13.8 points and 4.9 rebounds per game as an impactful 6’6”, 240 pound forward that can play multiple positions and cause problems on the defensive end. It will be fascinating to see what kind of jump he makes into his sophomore season.
Hayden Wood
Jacksonville
Retaining talented young players is a major challenge at the mid-major level but Jordan Mincy and Jacksonville were able to bring back 6’6” Hayden Wood after his freshman season where he averaged 11.8 points while shooting 38% from three. While his reputation is that of a shooter, Wood does have the ability to drive a closeout when needed and is more versatile than people think, and he should have a monster year for the Dolphins.
Anthony Robinsinon II
Florida State
This will be a familiar name to many of you as Robinson played for three seasons at Missouri. A native of Tallahassee who also played his high school ball in the city he’s finally going home, and after two years of averaging over 9 points and 3 assists he’s a capable ball handler for a team who needs proven high-major production.
Tye Dorset
Merrimack
Another nice piece of mid-major retention came with Merrimack and Tye Dorset, a 6’3” guard who is perfectly suited to the 2-3 zone they play 100% of the time. Rock solid in the rotations and capable of getting all kinds of deflections that turn into steals, Dorset also averages 12 points per game on the offensive end.
Braeden Shrewsberry
Notre Dame
It was a bit of a tough year for Notre Dame who didn’t perform all that well on the court and then lost most of their production to the transfer portal except for Braeden Shrewsberry who stayed to play for his father who remains the head coach. Shrewsberry is a physical guard who is also a tremendous shooter that can get his shot off from just about anywhere. He’s likely to take on a mountain of usage this season.
Danilo Jovanovich
Milwaukee
Jovanovich started his collegiate career at Miami before going to Louisville and ultimately landing at Milwaukee, and his 2025-26 season was off to a tremendous start before getting ended due to injury. The 6’8”, 220 pound forward was averaging 12.4 points and 6.1 rebounds per game, largely on drives to the rim and post ups over smaller players.
John Blackwell
Duke
Duke has a number of players that could fit this category but John Blackwell might be the one with the most proven production after averaging 19.1 points and 5.3 rebounds last year at Wisconsin. In a lot of ways, Blackwell is the exact prototypical modern shooting guard. He has good size at 6’4” and 200 pounds, he can shoot it (39% from three on huge volume), and he attacks downhill with violence and finish at the rim. Wisconsin used Blackwell a ton in the pick and roll game and how he fits at Duke will be interesting, but he’s a proven high-major star.
Gus Yalden
Vermont
If Vermont has any level of success this season, Gus “Bus” Yalden is going to be everyone’s favorite mid-major player. The 6’9” 245 pound center is the kind of guy everyone in college basketball rallies around–he is not athletic, he does not have a chiseled frame, but he plays the game with joy and has tremendous skill. Last season he averaged 16.1 points and 5.8 rebounds and the fact he’s back at Vermont is nothing short of a miracle, so this should be a fun player to watch.
Colby Garland
Georgia Tech
San Jose State was not a team a lot of people watched last season as they didn’t have much success in the Mountain West, but if you did turn on a game you’d see Colby Garland absolutely fill it up. A 6’1” do-it-all guard, Garland played over 35 minutes a game shouldering nearly all of the offensive load for the Spartans finishing with 20.3 points and 4.6 assists per game. Garland is largely a downhill stop and pop midrange guy who might be able to get as many mid-range shots as he wants against a Florida team that will allow it, so look for Garland to possibly put up some big shot totals in this one.
Makaih Williams
Grand Canyon
In case you didn’t know, Grand Canyon operates with a huge budget that is higher than a handful of high-major programs, so this will be a talented roster led by Makaih Williams who returns to the Antelopes after averaging 14.0 points and 2.5 assists per game, and he’s going to be elevated to the role of pure point guard with a lot of talent around him this season.
Antonio Baker
Florida A&M
Before coming to Florida A&M Baker was a very accomplished JUCO player and those skills translated immediately to the Rattlers as he averaged 9.9 points per game giving a boost in whatever role they needed. The jumpshot is still a work in process, but he’s able to get downhill whenever he wants.
Daquan Davis
LIU
This was a pretty major get for LIU given that Davis averaged 8.8 points per game as a freshman at Florida State before he transferred last season to Providence where he didn’t ultimately play much. You may not remember it, but two years ago Davis scored 10 points for the Seminoles off the bench and was one of their best players, and that level of player is likely to do some big things at LIU. Davis is a 6’1” guard who is wired more to score than distribute, and he should have some pretty big usage for the Sharks.