One of the great elements of following a program like Florida’s is the chance for players to go on to the highest level of the sport. If you’re a fan who likes to keep tabs on how former Gators are doing in the pros–this is for you! Here is a round-up of how each former Gator that was lucky enough to play in the NBA did this past season.
Bradley Beal
Los Angeles Clippers
Sadly, Beal’s season was done quickly after it started as he suffered a nasty hip injury just six games into the season. It required surgery, and with a 6-9 month expected recovery, it was clear it was best to just call it a year and hope to be back healthy for 2026-27. In his six games, Beal averaged 8.2 points, 1.7 assists, and 0.8 rebounds.
Al Horford
Golden State Warriors
At 40 years old, Horford keeps ticking! He played 45 games this season averaging 21.5 minutes a game, so while he was used sparingly to save the body and nurse injuries–when he played, he was fully in the rotation and an important piece. After averaging 8.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.6 assists, Horford remarkably signed a 2-year extension with the Warriors, something rather unheard of for a 40-year old player. His career has been nothing short of absolutely fantastic.
Dorian Finney-Smith
Houston Rockets
Though undrafted, Dorian Finney-Smith has had an outstanding NBA career and following the season is up to 628 career games played, a number any NBA player would dream of. Finney-Smith averaged 3.3 points and 2.5 assists off the bench and was recently traded to the Charlotte Hornets.
Tre Mann
Charlotte Hornets
Speaking of Charlotte, Tre Mann was there this season where he averaged 5.5 points and 1.6 assists, unfortunately seeing his role decrease from the year prior where he averaged 14.1 points and 3.0 assists and was looking like someone who could be a key piece moving forward. Mann is still just 24 with many excellent seasons in front of him.
Andrew Nembhard
Indiana Pacers
Of course, Nembhard finished his college career with Gonzaga, but of NBA players who spent time at Florida Nembhard had clearly the best season. He has become a fantastic NBA starter orchestrating one of the most fun offenses in the league and averaged 16.9 points and 7.7 assists per game while shooting 36% from three.
Will Richard
Golden State Warriors
The rookie season couldn’t have gone much better for Richard who immediately fit in to the Warriors and their style of quick ball movement and spacing, and he was also able to compete defensively in a way that earned the coaches’ trust. Appearing in 69 games and starting in 21 of them, Richard averaged 6.4 points and 2.5 rebounds per game, and it looks like his NBA career is on an awesome trajectory.
Walter Clayton Jr.
Memphis Grizzlies & Utah Jazz
Though he was moved in the middle of the season it didn’t break Clayton’s rhythm when it came to scoring, and combined between the two teams he played in 69 games averaging 7.8 points and 5.7 assists. Though he struggled to shoot the three, one of his biggest skills, Clayton’s distribution abilities look to be already improved, and he has worked on leveraging his athleticism to be a high-impact defender.
Colin Castleton
Orlando Magic
On the fringes of the NBA, Castleton was dominant in the G League and jumped up to appear in 4 games for the Magic.
Alijah Martin
Toronto Raptors
Alijah Martin is another player that’s on the fringes of the NBA, but he was able to get in 23 games for the Raptors who had minutes available for anyone who could guard. Really good in his time in the G League, he could be a full-time NBA player this upcoming season.
Zyon Pullin
Minnesota Timberwolves
You may have seen Pullin in the NBA Summer League where he was one of the best players on the floor, and that built off a dominant G League season that saw him get a call-up to play in 5 games. He’ll be on the fringes of an NBA rotation spot this upcoming season.