National Champion Stays in SEC, Transfers to Rival School
Florida came out on top in the NCAA Tournament, winning the 2025 national championship that cemented head coach Todd Golden's legacy in Gainesville, doing it in one of the most competitive conferences in NCAA history.
The Gators led the SEC conference and its record-breaking 14 teams that earned NCAA Tournament bids this March, but it might look a lot different next season.
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NCAA's transfer portal has shaken the entire nation with mixed emotions and tons of players are moving on to the next step in their careers.
Florida guard Denzel Aberdeen transfers to Kentucky
Joe Tipton of On3 Sports announced on Monday that Denzel Aberdeen is moving on to play for head coach Mark Pope and the Kentucky Wildcats.
Aberdeen will look for a better opportunity to get more playing time in the move to Kentucky.
The fourth-year guard spent three years with Florida and only managed five starts for the Gators.
His junior year was the season that Aberdeen broke out and was able to contribute in the 19.7 minutes a game he got.
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In the 2024-2025 season, the six-foot-five guard from Orlando, Florida, averaged 7.7 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists.
Mar 29, 2025; San Francisco, CA, USA; Florida Gators guard Denzel Aberdeen (11) drives to the hoop past Texas Tech Red Raiders guard Elijah Hawkins (3) during the second half during the West Regional final of the 2025 NCAA tournament at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images Eakin Howard-Imagn Images
His best performances came near the end of the regular season.
On Feb. 11, he scored 20 points, grabbed four rebounds and added two assists while shooting 58% from the field against Mississippi State.
Aberdeen carried momentum into the next game, scoring a career-high 22 points on 66% shooting, along with two rebounds and three assists on Feb. 15 in a game against South Carolina.
It will be interesting to see what the senior guard can do for Coach Pope and the Kentucky Wildcats.
Pope will be in his second year with Kentucky. In his first season, he was able to silence all of the doubters and finish the season as the No. 12 ranked team in the country with an overall record of 24-12 and 10-8 in conference play.
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