Gators coach Mike White remains hopeful there will be college basketball in 2020.
White gave his state-of-the-program address to the media Wednesday for the first time since March and covered the sting of last season’s finish, what he thinks this year will look like and the challenges of recruiting during a pandemic.
White began by talking about the disappointment his team felt when last season was cut short due to COVID-19.
He said he found out the remainder of the season was canceled just before Florida was to suit up for an SEC Tournament matchup against Georgia on March 12.
“We were four hours from tip when I get the phone call,” White said. “We already had a couple of guys leave the room to put their uniforms on, and I called everybody back in and said, ‘We’re done. We’re not playing.’”
While White said it was devastating to end the year on that note, he refuses to be anything but positive about preparing for the 2020 season. The team is holding regular Zoom meetings to maintain team chemistry and stay up to date on workouts.
“From a team development, relationship-building standpoint, I think these guys have grown a little bit,” he said. “We’ve had a lot of really good conversations, positive communication and a high level of openness.”
Of course, all of this communication and training is being done to reach an end goal. White said he and the players are preparing as if the 2020 season will start on time. At this point, the Gators are hopeful they will be able to start workouts, hold practices and play games on schedule.
If Florida plays in 2020, it will be interesting to see how the new roster meshes. The Gators lost valuable pieces in guard Andrew Nembhard and forward Kerry Blackshear, so new players will need to step up.
White said he expects guards Noah Locke and Scottie Lewis, along with forwards Keyontae Johnson and Anthony Duruji, to be the leaders of the team.
New recruits and transfers will fill the remaining cracks on the floor, but White said recruiting in the COVID-19 world has been difficult.
Florida’s new freshman faces include two guards -- Niels Lane and Samson Ruzhentsev. UF was also able to scoop up transfers in forwards Osayi Osifo from Eastern Florida State College and Colin Castleton from Michigan.
But prospects for UF’s 2021 and 2022 classes are murky at best due to the pandemic. White said he’s most hopeful about players who previously visited campus before the pandemic, as the program has only been able to meet with recruits over Zoom.
Despite the obstacles, he said he knows this team can compete.
“It’ll be as athletic of a team as I’ve ever had an opportunity to coach,” he said.
Follow Dylan on Twitter @dylanoshea24 and contact him at doshea@alligator.org.
