Following the Mike Rice player-abuse scandal in April that left the Rutgers basketball program in shambles, Eli Carter decided he needed a new start.
Coach Billy Donovan and the Gators offered him one in Gainesville.
When video leaked of Rice hurling basketballs and shoving players during the Scarlet Knights’ practices, the bottom dropped out of the program. They were suddenly without their head coach, assistant coach and four players — including Carter, who decided to transfer.
Before he suffered a season-ending broken right leg on Feb. 16, Carter was Rutgers’ leading scorer with 14.9 points per game.
When he decided to leave following the scandal, he had to choose between Maryland and Florida.
When asked what was the deciding factor in coming to play for the Gators, Carter replied, “Just coach Donovan really.”
Assistant Rashon Burno also had a role in landing the 6-foot-2 junior guard, as both he and Carter attended Jersey City (N.J.) St. Anthony’s High.
Burno reached out to the fellow alumnus in April. The transfer was made official May 10.
Donovan said the most impressive thing about Carter is his ability to move on from a tough situation and maintain optimism about the future.
“The thing I admired most is he only had positive things to say about Rutgers, and he only had positive things to say about coach Rice,” Donovan said. “But I think he looked at it as a difficult situation that was unfortunate (and) that he appreciated his time and just kind of tried to move forward.”
Donovan said he has not asked about any specifics involving Carter and Rice.
Carter also does not speak with his new teammates about the situation.
“Honestly, I’m really not focused on that,” Carter said. “I’m just trying to focus on this season coming up.”
Despite transferring amid a media frenzy while continuing to rehab a broken leg that has kept him out of practice this preseason, Carter said the transition has not been as difficult as it seems.
“It’s been actually kind of easy for me because of the staff and my teammates,” he said. “They made it easy for me. They keep my spirits high. They keep me motivated. The guys that I’m working with in rehab ... they’re great.”
Carter said he does not have a timetable for his return to the court, but he added that working one-on-one with coaches and trainers on non-contact drills like shooting has helped him progress daily.
Still, Donovan said he couldn’t help but feel for the 22-year-old out of Paterson, N.J.
“When you’re a transfer and you’re coming in and you’re trying to prove yourself and you can never do that because you’re never healthy to play, that’s really a hard thing for him to go through,” Donovan said.
“Even in the stuff he has been able to do, he’s been kind of hobbled. Usually, I think one of things that kind of always generates a bond inside your team is when guys respect each other for their talent level (and) how hard they compete and play. And he’s never been able to do that.”
Follow Jonathan Czupryn on Twitter @jczupryn.
Eli Carter poses for a photo during Florida’s basketball media day. Carter, a junior, transferred to UF from Rutgers following a player-abuse scandal that cost former coach Mike Rice his job.
