It may be August — and football is the dominant sport here in Gainesville — but college basketball season is approaching sooner than you think.
Thanks to new NCAA legislation, teams can now hold 30 practices during a 42-day span before the start of the regular season in mid-November.
With the Gators’ training camp set to begin about two weeks earlier than it would in the past, expect practices to possibly start in late September.
Since Florida’s Elite Eight exit on March 31, the Gators’ offseason has been clouded with uncertainty.
Here are five questions about UF yet to be answered as it approaches the regular season in about two and a half months:
1. Will Chris Walker and Eli Carter be cleared to play?
The Gators are still awaiting the NCAA Clearinghouse’s ruling on Walker, who is dealing with academic eligibility issues.
Walker, the No. 6 recruit in Rivals.com’s rankings for the Class of 2013, would put the Gators over the top. His perimeter skills and ball handling still need work, but the Bonifay native would add plenty of athleticism and shot-blocking to the Gators’ frontcourt if he is ruled eligible.
Donovan is also awaiting word on Carter’s eligibility for the 2013-14 season, but the Rutgers transfer guard’s chances to play this season looks brighter than Walker’s hopes.
Following the mess Mike Rice left at Rutgers after allegedly verbally and physically abusing his players, Carter is hoping to receive clearance from Rutgers and a waiver from the NCAA that would allow him to play for the Gators next year.
About a week ago, Rutgers transfer guard Mike Poole was granted immediate NCAA eligibility to play at Iona, so Carter’s situation looks promising.
Carter, who played two seasons at Rutgers and averaged 14.3 points in 56 games, would solidify the Gators’ young backcourt — especially with starting point guard Scottie Wilbekin’s status in limbo.
2. Will Wilbekin rejoin the team?
Donovan suspended Wilbekin indefinitely on June 10 for violating team rules. At the beginning of the 2012-13 season, Wilbekin was also suspended for breaking a team rule.
Donovan said last month that he would meet with Wilbekin once the fall semester starts and “go from there.” The Florida coach could eventually reinstate Wilbekin like he did with Erik Murphy back in 2011 five months after the forward’s alleged car break-in.
Not having Wilbekin would be a blow to UF’s defense, which was ranked third in the country in adjusted efficiency, according to KenPom.com.
3. Will Kasey Hill emerge as a floor leader for the Gators?
A 6-foot-1, five-star recruit, Hill has the potential to be a lottery pick if he lives up to his billing. Donovan should love Hill’s style of play this year as he thrives as a distributor in the open court.
Senior center Patric Young (and maybe Walker) could see plenty of lob passes down their way from Hill.
4. Will Young step up to the plate?
In an up-and-down junior season, Young averaged 10.1 points but only 6.3 rebounds per contest. The 6-foot-9, 240-pound Young has recorded consecutive games with double-digit rebounds only twice in his college career – both times during his sophomore season.
With Kenny Boynton, Mike Rosario and Murphy — 50.5 percent of last year’s offense — gone, Young might need to be Florida’s offensive anchor.
An injured right ankle could have factored into Young’s inconsistent production last season, but he needs to prove more reliable on both ends of the floor in 2013-14 if he wants to be a first-round pick in next year’s NBA Draft.
5. Will the Gators win a close game this year?
Florida was 0-6 in games decided by single digits last season. The most notable of those close losses was a 66-63 defeat to Ole Miss in the SEC Tournament final.
Contact Landon Watnick at lwatnick@alligator.org.
Patric Young (4) attempts an alley-oop dunk during Florida’s 71-54 win against Arkansas on Saturday in the O’Connell Center.
