Florida's Rueben Chinyelu returning to UF for senior season
247Sports • • sports
Key Points:
- Florida star center Rueben Chinyelu has officially announced his return to the Gators for the 2026-27 season after initially entering the 2026 NBA Draft and participating in the NBA Combine.
- Chinyelu, a highly decorated player including Naismith Defensive Player of the Year and First-Team All-SEC honors, averaged 11.2 rebounds and 10.9 points per game in 2025-26, setting a Florida record with 19 double-doubles.
- The 6-foot-10 Nigerian transfer from Washington State played a crucial role in Florida's recent national championship run and chose to return for his senior season to continue his development.
- Head coach Todd Golden expressed hope for Chinyelu's return, noting the team's readiness to adapt if he stayed in the draft, and highlighted the importance of Chinyelu's unique skill set to the Gators.
- Alongside Chinyelu, key players Thomas Haugh, Alex Condon, CJ Ingram, and Viktor Mikić are also returning, while Florida added Kentucky guard Denzel Aberdeen and two international frontcourt players, Artūras Butajevas and Domen Petrovič, to the roster.