CORAL GABLES - Kenny Boynton casually leaned against the wall as reporters and microphones surrounded him. An outside observer might have thought he was a politician if not for the red gym shorts sagging past the top of his calves.
Later, while sitting at a table, dipping his McNuggets in barbecue sauce, a man shoved a laptop in front of Boynton. A video was playing, showing a montage of Boynton's steals, dunks and 3-pointers.
"I got so much footage of you, man," the laptop-wielder gushed.
Another player laughed when footage from Boynton's junior season appeared in the highlights.
"Check out Kenny with the braids!" he said.
Boynton, now with short hair, just smiled.
The high school senior guard and UF commit received as much attention as any player at Tuesday's media day for McDonald's All-American Game, which will be played tonight. Part of it was the fact he was the local kid, a shooting guard from American Heritage Plantation High and the first player from Broward County to become an All-American.
But another reason for Boynton's draw was the oddity of his situation. He is a basketball star in a football hotbed. Broward County produces talent like Major Wright, not stars on the hardwood.
When he steps onto the UF campus this fall, Boynton will resume his role of basketball star in an area infested with athletic freaks in cleats. He is the No. 7 player on Rivals.com and the first top-10 player to commit to UF since the Web site began ranking its top 100 players in 2001.
Boynton knows what he needs to bring with him next year.
"Intensity and attacking the rim, I think that will give Florida wins," Boynton said. "They have the skills and all, they just relied on their outside shot a lot (last season)."
The Gators missed the NCAA Tournament the last two seasons, and the O'Connell Center has not been full, a far cry from when students camped out the night before games during UF's back-to-back championships run.
Boynton hopes he will have a chance to start in the backcourt alongside point guard Nick Calathes. Calathes - who also played in the McDonald's game in 2007 - declared for the NBA Draft on Monday, but did not hire an agent, maintaining his eligibility should he decide he is not ready for the pros.
"I hope he does make it (to the NBA)," Boynton said. "But if he does come back, I know we'll do good next year. (Calathes) knows when to make the right play, he knows when to take the right shot, make the right pass… he has a very high basketball IQ."
Calathes' departure would not impact Boynton's future as a Gator.
However, if coach Billy Donovan had accepted the head coaching position at Kentucky, Boynton might have left with him.
While Boynton signed a letter of intent to play at UF on Oct. 30, the contract could be nullified if Donovan left.
"Usually players get released (from their letters of intent) because it looks bad for a school that is not letting the kid go. It hinders their ability to recruit in the future," Rivals.com recruiting analyst Jerry Meyer said.
Donovan contacted Boynton's family after the Kentucky rumors spread to ensure them he was staying in Gainesville.
"Billy called my mom two nights later and explained to her the situation and that he basically said no," Boynton said.
And if Donovan had left?
"I'm not sure. I doubt I'd stay, though."
