As college players continue to announce their intentions to either enter the 2015 NBA Draft or return to school, there may not be a team with more riding on the decisions than the Florida Gators.
Billy Donovan’s squad had three key players to wait on including Michael Frazier II, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Chris Walker.
Donovan, whose status with the team also remains in question, needs at least two of the three to remain in school if his squad has any aspirations of playing late into next March.
While the Gators learned earlier this week that Frazier will enter the draft, they received some positive news Thursday when leading scorer and rebounder Finney-Smith said he will return to Florida.
Finney-Smth averaged 13.1 points and 6.2 rebounds per game proving to be one of Donovan’s most versatile players. The All-SEC second team selection gives the Gators at least one player in which they can rebuild and could influence Walker to also return to school.
The extra season will giive Finney-Smith an excellent opportunity to develop his skillset even further and mold himself into a sure fire first round selection.
Aside from his talent, Finney-Smith has encountered some off-the court problems having been suspended for three games in the middle of February for an unspecified violation of team rules.
NBA teams do not look lightly upon suspensions especially for a guy like Finney-Smith, but another season in college provides him with a chance to prove to NBA organizations that the problems that plagues him of the past are behind him.
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*Featured Photo (above) credit to Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
