Florida center Rueben Chinyelu has been named the Southeastern Conference Player of the Week for the first time in his career, the SEC announced on Monday. Chinyelu posted double-doubles in a pair of road wins vs. Oklahoma and Vanderbilt last week.
Chinyelu shot .700 from the field (14-for-20) over the two games and knocked down all 11 free throw attempts, including four in a row at Vanderbilt that helped swing momentum toward the Gators. Chinyelu’s 22 rebounds last week led the SEC, and he was the only SEC player to go 100% from the line with 10+ attempts.
“He was always good at putting the ball in around the rim,” Head Coach Todd Golden said on Monday. “He shot a high percentage last year – but he’s really elevated his game to become a more complete player; to be able to play with his face to the basket a little bit; to handle double teams.”
On Tuesday vs. Oklahoma, Chinyelu recorded 19 points on 7-11 shooting. The Enugwu-Agidi, Nigeria, native added 12 rebounds and one block to the stat sheet.
“His defensive rebounding was really, really good,” Golden said on Chinyelu’s performance last week. “Whether they were appreciated as much as they should have been, they were a huge reason why we were able to be successful.”
Chinyelu tallied 20 points, 10 rebounds, and three assists in the Gators’ win at No.10 Vanderbilt on Saturday, including a 16-point second half.
“He made some incredible passes in tight spaces Saturday,” Golden said on Chinyelu. “I think he got two and-1s for Tommy. Teams may think they’re able to handle him with double-teams, but now he’s handling that well.”
Chinyelu’s 20 points vs. the Commodores marked his career high while his 19 points vs. Oklahoma tied his previous career high.
The 6’10, 265-pound center is averaging 11.8 points and 10.7 rebounds this season, on pace to become the first Gator in 50 years to average double-figure rebounds (Bob Smyth, 12.7, 1975-76).
Paired with Thomas Haugh’s SEC Player of the Week earlier this season (Nov. 17), the Gators have multiple SEC Player of the Week winners for the first time since Colin Castleton and Tre Mann did so in 2020-21. It’s the first time two non-guard Gators have won the award in a season since Udonis Haslem and Matt Bonner in 2001-02.
The No.16 Gators return to action on their home court Tuesday at 7 p.m. vs. LSU.