Chris Chiozza is just one of many new faces to the Gators’ 17-man 2014-2015 men’s basketball roster.
The Tennessee native is not the tallest nor the heaviest on the team — the freshman point guard weighs in at 168 pounds and is exactly 6-feet tall — but Chiozza said he’s working on getting his weight up to 175 pounds by the start of the season.
He said he’s gained 10 pounds since he’s arrived at UF.
During his senior year at his Memphis (Tenn.) White Station High School, Chiozza averaged 15 points and eight assists per game.
Ranked No. 45 in the country by Rivals.com, Chiozza also received offers to play at Auburn, U Mass, Memphis, Ohio State, Richmond and Tennessee.
Here are six questions for the Florida freshman.
1.) Who is your closest friend on the team?
"Devin Robinson, I knew him before we got here. We met each other at camps in the summer of junior year and we were both getting recruited by Florida so we used to talk about thinking about coming here. And I had committed before him so then once I committed he was just like ‘Well I might as well go there.’ So we knew each other our whole senior year and we got here together in the summer and we were roommates."
2.) Has anyone stood out to you during off-season workouts as taking on more of a leadership role?
"Michael Frazier, definitely. Jon Horford, he’s a really good leader. He’s always talking and just telling people where to be at all times. He’s one of the more experienced people on the team even though he hasn’t been here, he’s been in college in Michigan, he’s a real nice leader. I look up to him a lot.
3.) How’s your ball handling?
"I work on that, you know, you still got to work on that. I’ve always kind of been a better ball handler so I don’t work on it as much as my jumper but I definitely still work on it.
4.) What’s your favorite Gainesville restaurant?
"Mi Apa. I get some empanadas. I try to switch it up, I don’t really ever get the same thing twice, except for empanadas, I start off with those."
5.) What’s your all-time favorite movie?
"Space Jam. Michael Jordan and cartoons: mix them together and it’s the perfect movie."
6.) How have you enjoyed living in Gainesville so far?
"It’s lovely, I like the weather—it’s a lot better than Memphis. It’s just a great environment. Just people knowing who you are when you get off campus. Just great fans. I like it already."
Chris Chiozza (11) speaks with Kevin Brockway of the Gainesville Sun during the 2014 UF men's basketball media day on Oct. 15.
