Dick Vitale is fired up about Florida: 'Can you say back-to-back national champs, baby?'
Florida Gators basketball is coming off a historic season. After winning the national championship in 2024-25, the team returns with high expectations for 2025-26.
Key players like Alex Condon are back after pulling out of the NBA draft, giving Florida size, skill and experience. The Gators also added star talent on the perimeter with Boogie Fland and Xaivian Lee, giving the roster scoring depth and versatility. With Todd Golden at the helm, Florida is ready to chase something very few teams ever do: back-to-back national championships.
Fans and experts alike are excited to see how this team performs. From rim protection inside with Rueben Chinyelu and Thomas Haugh to top guards outside, Florida has the mix of talent and depth to dominate both ends of the floor. The pressure will be high, but the Gators have the pieces and the leadership to make another run at history.
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Dick Vitale believes Florida can make history for the second consecutive season
On Monday, college basketball legend Dick Vitale included Florida at the very top of his list of “12 reasons why I’m fired up” for the new season.
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“Florida is GUNNING for history. Can you say back-to-back national champs, baby? Florida’s roster is deeper than the Atlantic Ocean, with Alex Condon returning after pulling out of the NBA draft. He’s a shot blocker, rebounder and low-post beast. Add in Rueben Chinyelu’s rim protection and Thomas Haugh’s stretch-four skills, and you’ve got a paint presence that will punish opponents,” said Vitale.
“But here’s the kicker: Todd Golden added two electric guards in Boogie Fland, a five-star dynamo who can light it up from deep, and Xaivian Lee, a combo guard from Princeton who’s as slick as they come. This team’s got talent, size, experience and a coach who knows how to push the right buttons. The Gators are chasing a rare repeat — and they’ve got the juice to do it!”
With experience and star power across the roster, Florida is positioned to compete at the highest level once again. Fans are ready to see if hype matches reality and whether they can make history two years in a row.
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