Aberdeen to Kentucky; Gators, Golden could land AJ Brown today

Denzel Aberdeen (11) committed to play at Kentucky next season (UAA Photo)

“Money talks, but it don’t sing and dance and it don’t walk” – from “Forever in Blue Jeans” by Neil Diamond

Money talked Monday when Denzel Aberdeen committed to spend his senior season playing basketball at Kentucky. Matt Norlander of CBS Sports reported that Aberdeen, the first guard off the bench during Florida’s run to the national championship, wanted $2 million to stay with the Gators. When Todd Golden balked at the price tag, Aberdeen went in the portal and three days later made the move to UK.

Is Aberdeen worth $2 million or even half that? We don’t know what Kentucky is paying him, but time will tell if he made the smart choice to leave the Gators.

Meanwhile, the Gators expect to have at least three scholarships available (NCAA limit is 15), two if all goes well today with AJ Brown (6-5, 200, RSO), an Orlando native who averaged 13.2 points per game at Ohio University this past season. Brown is the older brother of rising Florida sophomore Isaiah Brown. He’s a pure wing with 3-point range, but his real strength is putting the ball on the deck and taking it to the rack where he either scores or gets fouled.

Brown is a hot property on the transfer trail. Missouri and LSU both want him as does former Florida assistant Richard Pitino, the new head coach at Xavier. Florida is the odds-on favorite to get a commitment.

Here are some other names in the portal who might end up committing to the Gators in the next few days.

Other portal possibilities

RJ Luis (6-7, 196, JR, from St. John’s): First team All-American at St. John’s is being linked to Florida, Auburn and Miami.

Kris Parker (6-9, 210, FR, from Villanova): The Quincy native is being linked to Florida, Miami and Florida State.

Cade Tyson (6-7, 200, JR, from North Carolina): Kentucky and Vanderbilt are pursuing Tyson, but keep an eye on the Gators who just missed when he transferred from Belmont to UNC after the 2024 season.  

Cedric Coward (6-6, 190, RSO, from Washington State): The Gators and Alabama are in it along with Kansas, Duke and Washington.

Dovydas Butka (6-9, 215, FR, from Pepperdine): He reminds people of a smaller Damontas Sabonis. Golden has great connections to the West Coast Conference.

Trent McLaughlin (6-6, 190, SR, from Northern Arizona): This is a one-and-done who went into the portal on Monday. Big time scorer who averaged 22.1 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game last season.

Julian Hammond III (6-2, 180, SR, from Colorado): Newbie in the portal who averaged 12.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists. Shot 37.5 percent from the 3-point line and 90.4 percent at the foul line. One and done who can play with the ball or on the wing.

Savo Drezgic (6-4, 200, FR, from Georgia): They were clueless what to do with him at Georgia, but he can play the point or off the ball. He’s a Serbian who played in the Euros with current Gator Viktor Mikic.

Hayden Gray (6-4, 190, SO, from UC-San Diego): He’s got two years of eligibility remaining which is a real plus. Steady as a rock at the point for a 30-5 team that made the NCAA. He can play off the ball too.

Andrej Stojakovic (6-7, 190, SO, from California): Florida is late on his radar but with the departure of Aberdeen and the addition of Xaivian Lee the Gators might move to the top of the list.

Isaiah Hawthorne (6-8, 210, from Northern Colorado): This is a sixth-year guy who got his start playing for Todd Golden at San Francisco. At Northern Colorado this past season he averaged 17.1 points and 5.5 rebounds per game while shooting 35 percent on his threes.

International possibility

Ben Henshall (6-7, 200, Perth, Australia): Friend and former teammate of Alex Condon. Could stay in Australia and be a superstar or come to the US to play collegiately in front of the NBA scouts.

SEC BASKETBALL

ALABAMA

Goners: PF Jarin Stephenson (6-11, 210, SO, to North Carolina); SF Mouhamed Dioubate (6-7, 215, SO, to Kentucky); SF Naas Cunningham (6-7, 175, FR)

Newbies: PG Jalil Bethea (6-5, 190, FR, from Miami); PF Taylor Bol Bowen (6-10, 205, SO, from Florida State); C Noah Williamson (7-0, 224, JR, from Bucknell)

ARKANSAS

Goners: C Zvonimir Ivisic (7-2, to Illinois); PG Casmir Chavis (6-0, 180, FR)

Newbies: C Nick Pringle (6-10, 220, SR, from South Carolina); PF Malique Ewin (6-10, 220, SO, from Florida State)

AUBURN

Goners: SG Jahki Howard (6-6, 185, FR, to Utah); SG Chad Baker-Mazara (6-7, 180, SR); PG JP Pegues (6-1, 175, SR); PF Addarin Scott (6-9, 207, FR)

Newbies: Keyshawn Hall (6-7, 240, JR, from UCF); PF KeShawn Murphy (6-10, 245, JR, from Mississippi State); SG Kevin Overton (6-5, 190, SO, from Texas Tech); SF Elyjah Freeman (6-8, 200, FR, from Lincoln Memorial)

FLORIDA

Goners: PG Kajus Kublicas (6-2, 180, SO); PG Denzel Aberdeen (6-5, 190, JR, to Kentucky); PF Sam Alexis (6-9, 240, JR)

Newbies: PG Xaivian Lee (6-4, 180, SR, from Princeton)

GEORGIA

Goners: Silas Demery Jr. (6-5, 195, JR, to UConn); PG Savo Drezgic (6-4, 200, FR); PF RJ Godfrey (7-7, 225, JR, to Clemson); SG DeShayne Montgomery (6-4, 190, SO, to Dayton)

Newbies: Justin Bailey (6-3, 185, JR, from Wofford); PG Jeremiah Wilkinson (6-1, 185, FR, from California); SF Kanon Catchings (6-9, 190, FR, from BYU)

KENTUCKY

Goners: PG Kerr Kriisa (6-3, 180, JR, to Cincinnati); SG Grant Darbyshire (6-2, 190, JR)

Newbies: C Jayden Quaintance (6-9, 225, FR, from Arizona State); SF Mouhamed Dioubate (6-7, 215, SO, from Alabama); PG Jaland Lowe (6-2, 170, SO, from Pittsburgh); PF Kam Williams (6-8, 190, FR, from Tulane); PG Denzel Aberdeen (6-5, 190, JR, from Florida)

LSU

Goners: SG Vyctorius Miller (6-5, 185, FR, to Oklahoma State); PF Corey Chest (6-8, 220, FR, to Ole Miss); PF Daimion Collins (6-9, 202, SR); PF Noah Boyde (7-0, 245, JR, to Western Kentucky); SG Mike Williams (6-3, 180, SO); SG Tyrell Ward (6-6, 195, JR)

Newbies: PF Marquel Sutton (6-7, 205, JR, from Nebraska-Omaha); SG Max McKinnon (6-5, 200, JR, from Pepperdine); SG Rashad King (6-6, 198, JR, from Northeastern); PG Dedan Thomas (6-0, 175, FR, from UNLV); C Michael Nwoko (6-10, 245, SO, from Mississippi State); PF Lassina Traore (6-10, 230, SR, from Xavier)

MISSISSIPPI STATE

Goners: C Michael Nwoko (6-10, 245, SO, to LSU); PF KeShawn Murphy (6-10, 245, JR to Auburn); SG Riley Kugel (6-5, 210, JR, to UCF); PG Kanye Clary (5-11, 190, JR, to Oklahoma State); SF Adrian Myers (6-6, 205, FR); C Jeremy Foumena (6-11, 235, SO, to UCF); SF Harrison Alexander (6-4, 190, FR)

Newbies: C Quincy Ballard (6-11, 240, SR, from Wichita State); PG Ja’Borri McGhee (6-0, 200, FR, from UAB); Sam Walters(6-10, 200, JR, from Michigan); SF Amier Ali (6-8, 185, FR, from Arizona State); PF Achor Achor (6-9, 222, SO, from Kansas State)

MISSOURI

Goners: C Josh Gray (7-0, 260; SR); SG Marcus Allen (6-7, 200, FR); SF Aidan Shaw (6-9, 210, JR, to Boston College); C Peyton Marshall (7-0, 300, FR)

Newbies: SG Sebastian Mack (from UCLA); C Luke Northweather (6-11, 240, RSO from Oklahoma); PF Jevon Porter (6-11, 235, JR, from Loyola Marymount); C Shawn Phillips (7-0, 245, JR, from Arizona State)

OKLAHOMA

Goners: C Luke Northweather (6-11, 240, RSO to Missouri); SF Tae Davis (6-9, 240, JR, from Notre Dame); SG Duke Miles (6-2, 175, SR, to Virginia); SF Jacolb-Fredson Cole (6-7, 220, FR to McNeese); C YaYa Keita (6-9, 241, JR)

Newbies: PG Nijel Pack (6-0, 180, SR, from Miami); SF Tae Davis (from Notre Dame); PG Xzayvier Brown (6-2, 165, SO, from Saint Joseph’s)

OLE MISS

Goners: C John Bol (7-2, 210, FR); SG TJ Caldwell (6-4, 190, JR); SG Robert Cowherd (6-5, 200, SO); PF Ja’Von Benson (6-7, 251, SR)

Newbies: PF Corey Chest (6-8, 220, FR, from LSU); PG Koren Johnson (6-2, 175, RSO, from Louisville); SF AJ Storr (6-6, 200, JR, from Kansas)

SOUTH CAROLINA

Goners: PF Okku Federiko (6-8, 220, FR); SF Morris Ugusuk (6-4, 170, SO); SG Cam Scott (6-6, 170, FR); PG Jamarii Thomas (6-0, 185, SR); PG Meechie Johnson (6-2, 175, SR, to Ohio State); SG Austin Herro (6-3, 180, FR); C Nick Pringle (6-10, 220, SR, to Arkansas); SG Arden Conyers (6-7, 204, FR); SG Zachary Davis (6-7, 200, JR, to Memphis)

Newbies: SG Kobe Knox (6-5, 185, JR, from South Florida); C Christ Essendoko (7-0, 285, SO, from Providence); PF Elijah Strong (6-8, 220, SO, from Boston College); PG Mike Sharavjamts (6-9, 180, JR, from Utah)

TENNESSEE

Newbies: PF Jaylen Carey (6-8, 265, SO, from Vanderbilt); PG Ja’Kobi Gillespie (6-1, 175, JR, from Maryland)

TEXAS A&M

Goners: George Turkson (6-7, 220, JR, to Maryland); SG Andre Mills (6-4, 200, FR, to Maryland); C Pharrel Payne (6-9, 230, to Maryland); SF Solomon Washington (6-7, 225, JR); PF Janus Ratowski (6-11, 225, FR); SF Jaelen Lee (6-6, 195, S0); SF Rob Dockery (6-6, 215, FR)

Newbies: SF Zach Clemence (6-10, 225, RFR, from Kansas); PG Jacari Lane (6-0, 178, JR, from North Alabama); SF McKenzie Mgbako (6-8, 217, SO, from Indiana); PG Josh Holloway (6-2, 160, SO, from Samford)

VANDERBILT  

Goners: PF Jaylen Carey (to Tennessee); PG Jason Edwards (6-1, 175, JR, to Providence); PG Jordan Williams (6-2, 215, JR); SF Alex Hemenway (6-4, 190, SR); PF Jaqualon Roberts (6-8, 230, SO, to Davidson); PG Karris Bilal (6-2, 190, FR); PF Kijani Wright (

Newbies: PG Frankie Collins (6-1, 185, JR, from TCU); C Mason Nicholson (6-10, 280, JR, from Jacksonville State); PF Jalen Washington (6-10, 225, JR, from North Carolina); Mike James (6-6, 195, RSO, from North Carolina State)