The reload continues with the addition of transfer AJ Brown

Todd Golden still has three scholarships to give after landing AJ Brown (Photo by Chris Spears)

By adding AJ Brown from the transfer portal on Thursday, Todd Golden took a big step toward the reload of a roster that has lost its entire backcourt to graduation and two underclassmen who decided to find greener pastures elsewhere. Brown, a redshirt sophomore who prepped at Orlando Christian Prep, blossomed last season at Ohio University where he averaged 13.2 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists while shooting 38.8 percent from the 3-point line.

Brown is the older brother of Florida freshman Isaiah Brown.

Brown joins Princeton transfer Xaivian Lee in a retooled Florida backcourt that has to replace first team All-America Walter Clayton Jr., 3-year starter Will Richard and defensive stopper Alijah Martin. Lee is a pure point who can play off the ball. Brown is a wing who can guard all three perimeter positions. Those two additions give Golden six scholarship perimeter players.

With the addition of Brown, Golden has 12 on his roster with three available scholarships at his disposal. Golden is likely to add an experienced combo guard who can play the point or either of the wings, a hybrid forward who can play the perimeter or in the post, and a young big with multiple years of eligibility.

Here are five possibilities from the portal:

PG Hayden Gray (6-4, 190, SR, from UC-San Diego): He was the point for a 30-win UC-San Diego team. He shoots the 3-ball well (41.8 percent), doesn’t turn the ball over and was the Big West Defensive Player of the Year. Because he played two years in Division II he may have more than one year of eligibility.

SG/SF Ben Henshall (6-7, 200, Perth, Australia): Tough guy who is still growing. Inside/outside type who is Alex Condon’s buddy. They’re currently working out together.

SG/PG Andrej Stojakovic (6-7, 190, from California): The talk is that he was blown away by his visit to Illinois, but that was the weekend and he still hasn’t committed. In other words, the door is open. He’s more a wing than a point, but NBA people think he has to become more of a ball handler. Florida can allow him to do both.

SG/PG Desmond Claude (6-5, 207, JR, from Southern Cal): This is a new one, but reports are that he is in contact with the Gators. He played two years at Xavier and then spent last season at Southern Cal where he averaged 15.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists. He plays the point or the wing. If there is a drawback it is his outside shooting. He’s a career 27.1 shooter from 3-point.

PF Dovydas Butka (6-9, 215, FR, from Pepperdine): He’s a Lithuanian who had an outstanding freshman year at Pepperdine when he averaged 9.6 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. He has three years of eligibility remaining.

The Florida Roster April 24, 2025

Big guys (6): Micah Handlogten (7-1, 255, JR); Alex Condon (6-11, 230, SO); Tommy Haugh (6-9, 215, SO); Rueben Chinyelu (6-10, 260, SO); Viktor Mikic (6-11, 250, FR); Olivier Rioux (7-9, 305, FR)

Perimeter (6): Xaivian Lee (6-4, 180, JR); AJ Brown (6-4, 195, RSO); Urban Klavzar (6-1, 195, SO); Isaiah Brown (6-4, 195, FR); CJ Ingram (6-6, 190, FR); Alex Lloyd (6-4, 180, FR)

THE SEC IN THE TRANSFER PORTAL

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, to UNLV)

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); PG Boogie Fland (6-2, 210, 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); SG AJ Brown (6-5, 200, RSO, from Ohio U)

GEORGIA

Goners: Silas Demery Jr. (6-5, 195, JR, to UConn); PG Savo Drezgic (6-4, 200, FR); PF RJ Godfrey (6-7, 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); SG Walker Horn (6-1, 200, JR); PG Travis Perry (6-1, 188, FR)

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, to VCU); PG Curtis Givens (6-3, 185, FR)

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); PF EJ Paymon (6-9, 230, FR)

Newbies: C Quincy Ballard (6-11, 240, SR, from Wichita State); PG Ja’Borri McGhee (6-0, 200, FR, from UAB); SF Amier Ali (6-8, 185, FR, from Arizona State); PF Achor Achor (6-9, 222, SO, from Kansas State); SG Jayden Epps (6-2, 190, JR, from Georgetown)

MISSOURI

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

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 Texas A&M); 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); PF Nordin Kapic (6-8, 245, FR, from UC-San Diego)

TENNESSEE

Goners: Darlinstone Dubar (6-6, 207, SR)

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

TEXAS

Goners: PF Jamie Vinson (6-11, 225, FR); SF Devon Pryor (6-7, 180, FR, to Oregon); SG Malik Presley (6-6, 200, FR)

Newbies: SF Dailyn Swain (6-7, 200, SO, from Xavier); SF Camden Heide (6-7, 205, SO, from Purdue); C Matas Vokietaitis (7-0, 245, FR, from Florida Atlantic); PF Lassina Traore (6-9, 215, JR, from Xavier); SG Simeon Wilcher (6-4, 180, SO, from St. John’s)

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); SG Zhuric Phelps (6-3, 175, SR)

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); SG Duke Miles (6-2, 175, SR, from Oklahoma)

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, to Louisiana); PF Kijani Wright (6-9, 200, FR); PG MJ Collins (6-4, 190, JR, to Utah State)

Newbies: PG Frankie Collins (6-1, 185, JR, from TCU); C Mason Nicholson (6-10, 280, JR, from Jacksonville State); SF AK Okereke (6-7, 220, SO, from Cornell); SF Mike James (6-6, 195, SO, from North Carolina State); PF Jalen Washington (6-10, 225, JR, from North Carolina)