Even champions are not immune to desperation, it seems. Especially when the NBA draft comes knocking with a suitcase and a one-way ticket for your star guards. Florida may have cut down the nets, but Alijah Martin and Walter Clayton Jr. are now cut out for the big league, leaving a shiny trophy and a gaping hole behind them. But if you think Golden’s sweating, think again. This is the same guy whose squad beat Houston, the best defensive team in the country, in a battle of pure attrition. Or as Todd Golden said, “It is our team’s resolve, DNA”. So, yes, he knows how to scheme. With their star guard lineup gone, Golden has turned to the transfer portal and is swiping with purpose. He’s already landed Xaivian Lee, Princeton’s pride. And word on the street is, he’s eyeing a player right under John Calipari’s famously watchful nose. 

After all, one of the biggest question marks in college basketball right now is Boogie Fland. The Razorbacks guard had declared for the draft, but is now planning on staying back and finding himself a new home for his sophomore season. His freshman year was quite underwhelming, partly due to injury, and Fland is probably looking to reassure NBA teams of his potential. Sure, the early feedback Boogie Fland got in the draft process wasn’t all that positive. After all, there are elements of his game that need work before he can go pro, as Fland is not that confident with his three-ball, and the defense is definitely an issue.

But college teams aren’t hesitating to make him offers, and according to analysts, they’re offering quite a pretty penny too! Which, quite honestly, must be a slap in the face for John Calipari. The Hogs’ head coach backed the young guard, but it seems like their pairing wasn’t meant to be.

On the Locked On College Basketball podcast, show hosts Andy Patton and Isaac Schade discussed how Fland’s college stock has gone up. “I would be shocked if he’s not in the three to five million dollar range.” Patton said, reaffirming the value that teams see in the six-foot-two guard. He is probably the most sought-after guard in the portal right now. And according to the analyst, his value keeps growing day by day. “I saw somewhere, and I don’t know how reputable it was, but I saw someone throw around seven [million].” 

Seven million, honestly, is crazy work. And considering how Florida seems to be the front-runners to get Fland, according to Schade, there’s a chance that the potential offer might be from them. “The place that it seems more likely as of right now… is Florida.” It would make sense! They lost Denzel Aberdeen to the portal, and their two best guards to the NBA draft. Even with Lee onboard, they still need a solid offensive presence to complement him.

But there are also concerns about that particular backcourt pairing. “Some people are maybe iffy on whether he and Xaivian Lee… can they co-exist? I think they can.” Both guards are ball-dominant, and there isn’t much size on either of them. But maybe the upside that they provide offensively will negate the potential concerns that exist in the pairing.

But what does Todd Golden feel about this off-season that his team is going through? Does he feel strongly about his backcourt dilemma? Let’s find out!

Florida’s uncertain roster is not scaring national champion Todd Golden

You don’t win a natty by being afraid of what is to come. That is a fact. Todd Golden’s team reached the promised land this year, and they’re raring to have another crack at it. The problem? Florida’s entire roster is in a state of uncertainty as of now. Golden has lost all of his guard depth in Walter Clayton Jr., Alijah Martin, Will Richards, and Denzel Aberdeen, and has spent some time repairing and replacing his backcourt rotation.

However, they’re still waiting on the status of Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu vis-à-vis the NBA draft. Their absence could severely hamper their frontcourt. But does Todd Golden have anything to say about it? Of course, he does! The Florida HC is not at all panicked at the thought of recruitment this year; in fact, he doesn’t feel that anything different is happening from the years before.

Golden, in an interview with 247Sports, got candid about his off-season exploits. “This year, I don’t think it’s that much different,” he said. “We’ve done a great job retaining our front court. We’ll see how Alex’s pro prospects go over the next couple of weeks, but the backcourt is gonna be new.” He went on to talk about Xaivian Lee and how exciting a prospect the six-three guard is.

There’s no doubt that Florida is coming into the season with a lot of confidence. After all, they are the defending champions and will be looking to go back-to-back. It will be interesting to see whether this off-season will pan out well for Golden, but one thing is for certain—he has faith in the system, in himself, and in his players.