Florida center Rueben Chinyelu declares for 2025 NBA Draft, maintains college eligibility

On Thursday, Florida center Rueben Chinyelu announced he will be declaring for the 2025 NBA Draft while maintaining his collegiate eligibility. Chinyelu released a heartfelt message to fans along with his announcement.

“First and foremost, I want to thank God for blessing me with the opportunity to pursue my dreams,” Chinyelu wrote. “I’m incredibly grateful for the University of Florida, the amazing Gators fans and everyone who has supported me throughout this journey. To Coach Golden, the entire coaching staff, our managers and my teammates, thank you for believing in me, pushing me and helping me grow both as a player and a person. Your support means everything to me.

“One of the greatest moments of my life has been winning a championship with my brothers. That’s a memory I’ll cherish forever and an experience I’ll always hold close to my heart. After careful consideration and discussion with my family, I am excited to announce that I will be declaring for the 2025 NBA Draft while maintaining my college eligibility to return to University of Florida. This is a step forward in chasing my dream of playing at the highest level.”

Chinyelu transferred to Florida last offseason after spending his freshman year at Washington State. He started all 40 games for the Gators this season, averaging 6.0 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game while shooting 59.9% from the field. Chinyelu hasn’t attempted a 3-pointer in his collegiate career.

Chinyelu had his best performance of the season in Florida’s 79-65 win over LSU on Feb. 22. In the win, Chinyelu scored a season-high 19 points and 13 rebounds on 8-14 shooting from the floor.

The 6-foot-10 sophomore also had a standout performance in Florida’s win over Maryland in the Sweet Sixteen. He notched 10 points and eight rebounds in 24 minutes against the Terrapins.

Chinyelu played high school basketball at NBA Academy Africa, where he was a three-star prospect. He was the No. 168 overall player and No. 24 center in the 2023 recruiting cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

Now, Chinyelu will test the NBA draft waters. He is the second Florida player to declare for the NBA Draft this week while maintaining his eligibility. On Wednesday, sophomore Alex Condon announced he will be taking the same course of action.