For players with NBA aspirations that are leaving the college ranks the NBA Summer League is usually the next step, and this year we saw a number of former Gators competing for different teams.
When it comes to the kind of players that Florida is recruiting, SEC basketball is seldom the final goal–they’re looking to make it to the NBA. Given that the Gators have a young coach in Todd Golden, establishing some NBA alumni is of utmost importance when it comes to recruiting high school players–something that Mike White learned when he made the jump to Florida from Louisiana Tech.
Leading the way for former Gators in the Summer League was Colin Castleton who inked a two-way deal with the LA Lakers on NBA Draft night and is now looking to establish himself as a full time NBA player. Castleton was one of the biggest stories of Summer League, playing tremendous basketball and leading many to believe he’ll be in the rotation for a team that will be pushing for a championship in 2023-24. In seven games in addition to his patented defense and shot blocking, Castleton averaged 13.7 points, 9.0 rebounds, and perhaps most notably–4.3 assists. Differently to how he was used at Florida, Castleton was put at the top of the key with the ball in his hands and was tasked with running the offense, whether finding shooters off screens, hitting cutters, or pitching to a guard for a ball screen. This style of offense played through a center on the perimeter is prevalent in the NBA, and Castleton’s ability to perform in that setting immediately speaks highly to his chances of sticking with the big club for much of the season.
Given that Castleton’s career with the Gators ended with an unfortunate injury, it was excellent to see him fully healthy and playing to the best of his abilities.
Playing alongside Castleton with the Lakers was Alex Fudge who earned a chance in Summer League with his physical tools and his pedigree as a dominant high school player. It was clear that the Lakers had significant interest in seeing what Fudge could do as he saw action in 7 games–something that doesn’t happen with players with no chance of getting a legitimate look. However, while he got into a lot of games, Fudge wasn’t used a ton. He finished Summer League averaging 10.4 minutes per game while chipping in 3 points and 2 rebounds per game. Fudge’s length and athleticism popped, even while playing against NBA level athletes, but he struggled with some of the team concepts. His performance likely won’t earn him a spot with the Lakers while he’s on his current Exhibit 10 deal, though it was hopefully valuable experience that he will use to build on as he tries to reach his dream.
Tre Mann had an explosive start to the Summer League season, scoring 23.7 points per game in the Salt Lake City portion of the event. Given that Mann was able to score the ball effectively in the NBA as a rookie he wasn’t expected to even go to Summer League, but the Oklahoma City Thunder have always encouraged their young players to go and continue to develop their game. Unfortunately for Mann, he injured his finger in the first game of the Las Vegas portion of Summer League, ending his time there. Not that Mann had anything to prove as an established NBA scorer–but he showed he was too good for this event, and he won’t be back next season.
There were a few other former Gators to make appearances in Summer League, though they were players who transferred from Florida to finish out their college career.
One of the best players in the 2023 Summer League was Andrew Nembhard, who many thought wouldn’t appear in games this summer given how he had already established himself as a clear NBA player with a stellar rookie season in Indiana. It was clear that the Pacers weren’t concerned with Nembhard working on his game or gaining any experience, but it was instead to shepherd along the young players they were evaluating. Nembhard looked like he was playing at half speed and was only concerned with helping his teammates learn the offense as best as possible, and he still coasted to 17.5 points and 7.5 assists per game. Look for Nembhard to continue to make starts for Indiana this upcoming season.
Another former Gator that played well was Keyontae Johnson who competed for Oklahoma City who drafted him with the fiftieth pick in the Draft. His athleticism and physicality translated immediately to this level of play as he averaged 12.8 points and 4.6 rebounds per game, starting in 2 of 5 games he appeared in. Though he struggled to shoot the ball, Johnson was excellent in transition and when it came to attacking off ball reversals–the same style of play that was so good for him in college.
Former Gator point guard Tyree Appleby also got a taste of Summer League with the Chicago Bulls, though he was only able to get in about 21 minutes of game action in 3 games. In this short stint he wasn’t able to show much of the offensive juice that makes him special as a microwave guard, though the experience will be valuable for him as he begins his pro career.
With a number of talented players on Florida’s roster this season, look for next year’s Summer League to have a few more Gators.