By: Eric Fawcett -- May 18, 2025 As the offseason continues and the Florida Gators await to see who could return to the roster and look forward to finding the landing spot for their outgoing talents, all eyes turn to the NBA Combine, the main showcase event for players hoping to head to the highest level. Trio Of Gators Compete At NBA Combine | GatorCountry.com
Hmm, Condon did not participate in a scrimmage? That is weird. If he is a first round wannabe, why run in the wrong direction? If I had to make a guess, he does not want to show he may not be as ready to showcase his skills as he could be. Maybe his ankle is still less-than-ideal. I am not sure how he can get some feedback on where his game needs to go if he isn't getting out there. A SF-PF player? That is Haugh, not Condon (at least not now). So, the feedback is he isn't strong/stout enough to compete with the NBA centers? Again, he isn't trying to prove them wrong? Haugh deciding to stay at Florida tells me he is prepared to develop more whereas Condon appears to have some "assistance" from folks who want him to be a "buy the sizzle, not the steak" type of draft choice. I can't speak for every NBA team, but again, I just don't see a game in Condon whose "sizzle" is what the NBA owners and GMs are getting their mouths watered over. His last audition was diving on a loose ball and securing it for the win. Great legacy for UF basketball and that team. It isn't going to sell a bunch of overpriced tickets to NBA games. I do hope his counsel is prepared to back away and not ride this idea to the end. That to me would be a disaster for all parties. JMHO
The article explains: Walter Clayton chose not to participate in the scrimmages, something that a lot of players who feel comfortable in their draft stock choose to do which indicates he is feeling really good about where he could be drafted. Curiously–Alex Condon also chose not to participate. This is something that could suggest that he thinks he has a good guarantee of where he could go in the draft, and possibly could be an indication that he won’t be returning to college. On the other hand, these games are never favorable for frontcourt players and it could be that Condon is choosing to protect his reputation for whenever he does truly enter the draft in the future. It is a curious decision that would make anyone’s eyebrows go up and it certainly will be something to look back on whether he comes back to Florida or goes pro.
