When the Florida men’s basketball team lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament last March, they left the court almost as soon as the final buzzer sounded. Players buried their heads beneath their jerseys.
The Gators have honed in on a sense of unfinished business heading into 2024-25, with nine players from last year’s roster set to return this Fall.
Perhaps overlooked by Gators fans, largely in part due to the mass amount of returning talent alongside flashy new transfer additions, comes true freshman guard Isaiah Brown, who will look to make an immediate impact for UF this season.
The 6-foot-4, 200-pound Orlando native came out of Orlando Christian Prep as a four-star recruit in 2024, according to 247Sports. With OCP being one of the top high school programs in the nation, Brown garnered plenty of attention from college scouts.
He received offers from FAU, USF, Missouri and Georgia, but ultimately chose to commit to Florida in May.
“My decision [came down to] the community,” Brown said. “It's great out here in Gainesville. Everybody shows love, and the coaching staff is amazing. Coach Golden [and] all of them put a lot of effort into getting me here.”
Brown was intrigued by the Gators well before he committed to donning the orange and blue in his senior year of high school. Now, he’ll have the chance to play for his childhood dream team. But not his father’s.
Nearly every sports fan who grows up in Florida is aware of the fierce rivalry between the Gators and the Florida State Seminoles. For Brown and his father, Ron, it was a house divided.
“Once I got older towards my ninth, 10th grade, that's when I started becoming a Gator,” Brown said. “It hurt him, but he grew to appreciate it because he knew I was going into a safe community, and I'm going to be taken care of.”
In a season that starts in November and could potentially last until April, college basketball teams across the nation are tasked with managing their exhaustion and avoiding burnout, both on and off the court.
This could be less of an issue for Brown, who has already captured the attention of his teammates for not only his skills but his youthful joy and spirit.
“They call me fresh and childish because everything I do is more energetic than what they're used to,” Brown said. “Everybody's more on the senior side, so they're kind of old. I’m the younger one bringing all the energy and picking up everybody else."
Senior guards Will Richard, Alijah Martin and Walter Clayton Jr. will likely round out Florida’s starting backcourt for the majority of the season. But Florida fans should not underestimate what Brown can bring to the table.
He was ranked the No. 23 shooting guard in the 2024 class and the No. 16 overall player in Florida, according to 247Sports. Moreover, Brown’s athleticism, alongside his ability to score the ball at all three levels, has been nothing short of impressive.
Brown helped lead OCP to a 25-4 record and a state runner-up finish while averaging 18.6 points per game in his senior campaign.
“He’ll have the chance to play right away,” UF head coach Todd Golden said. “The toughest thing for freshmen coming to college, especially in a SEC program, is they all go from being the best player on their team, to having to figure out what [new] role they can assume.”
Golden isn’t the only member of Florida’s coaching staff that has taken notice of Brown’s abilities on the court.
UF associate head coach Carlin Hartman plays an integral role in Florida’s recruiting tactics. He acknowledged Brown’s skillset before the Gators even had a practice together this season.
In Hartman’s first two seasons at Florida, the Gators have continuously courted freshmen who have found ways to contribute positively, even with limited roles. It’s a position that Brown is next in line for, Hartman said.
During an open practice in October at the Hugh Hathcock Basketball Complex, the Gators were working through a 2-on-1 fastbreak drill. Brown burst down court with the ball and threw a dunk over the head of one of UF’s best defenders, sophomore forward Alex Condon.
“He [Brown] is talented,” Hartman said. “He can do a lot of different things on the basketball court. We’re going to be very comfortable using that versatility when he steps on the court.”
With the eventual loss of Martin, Richard and Clayton Jr. following the conclusion of their last seasons, it will leave room for a new face of the future for Florida. Filling this role will not be an easy task, but it’s one Brown sees himself one day taking on with pride.
“I know that my game will showcase,” Brown said. “So if the freshman narrative is [there], I’m cool with that because I know next year, I have that opportunity to do big things, but I'm pushing to get a chance [right now].”
Contact Max Tucker at mtucker@alligator.org. Follow him on X @Max_Tuckr1.
Max Tucker is a junior transfer student at UF. After obtaining his A.A. in Journalism from Santa Fe College in 2023, he chose further his education at Florida's College of Journalism and Communications. Max is currently pursuing his Bachelor of Science in Journalism with a specialization in sports and media. He enjoys golfing and going to the beach with his friends in his free time.
