The transfer portal for men's college basketball closed on Tuesday at 11:59 p.m. ET, shutting the door on the de facto free agency period for Division 1 teams. While this year's portal saw less activity than last year's, there was still plenty of movement as programs from around the nation tried to bolster their rosters for another run at the NCAA Tournament.
Among the many involved in the offseason feeding frenzy were those who made out like bandits and others who were fleeced. After the clock struck midnight on Wednesday morning, CBS Sports' Isaac Trotter put together his winners and losers column for the 2026 transfer portal. Joining those in the former category are the Florida Gators, not for whom they acquired, but because of the elite level of talent retention that Todd Golden managed to pull off"Florida will have two four-year seniors next year after the enormous news that Tommy Haugh will eschew the NBA draft and run it back with Alex Condon," he begins.
"The Haugh-Condon big-to-big passing has terrorized opponents for years, and the Gators get another year of it. If Rueben Chinyelu returns to Gainesville for his senior season instead of staying in the NBA draft, Florida's terrifying frontcourt will be ready to rock and roll yet again."That gives Todd Golden's outfit one of the highest floors in the country with a legitimate chance to be the preseason No. 1 team in the nation," Trotter continues. "Especially parlayed with the news that point guard Boogie Fland, sniper Urban Klavzar, slasher Isaiah Brown and intriguing depth pieces like CJ Ingram, AJ Brown and Alex Lloyd will all return."He then points out, "This is ridiculous, unprecedented retention."Trotter goes on to mention guard Denzel Aberdeen — the returning Gator who represents the program's lone transfer portal acquisition and whose fate rests in the hands of the NCAA as he awaits word on his waiver request for an extra year of eligibility.
"Florida's rebounding will be elite. Florida's two-way rim dominance will be outstanding. The guard play should tick up with Fland reaping the rewards of the patented Year 2 transfer jump.
Gator boys stay hot," Trotter concludes. Florida basketball's projected 2026-27 starting lineupG Boogie FlandG Denzel Aberdeen (if the waiver clears)F Tommy HaughF Alex CondonC Rueben Chinyelu (if he skips draft)Top bench options: G Urban Klavzar, G Isaiah Brown, G CJ Ingram, G AJ Brown, G Alex LloydFollow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Florida basketball a transfer portal winner due to roster retention