Florida Gators center Micah Handlogten will ‘probably’ sit out entire 2024-25 season

Basketball

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Image Credit: UAA

Though there were murmurs last week that the Florida Gators may add a key reinforcement off the bench for the latter third of the 2024-25 season, it appears those talks have now been calmed. Head coach Todd Golden said Thursday at a media gathering that junior center Micah Handlogten, who is still recovering from a fractured leg suffered nearly 11 months ago, will “probably” remain sidelined through the end of the campaign.

“I think [he will] probably sit out the rest of the year,” Golden said.

Conversation about Handlogten returning to the court picked up when he was shockingly added to an availability report before No. 5 Florida hosted Georgia on Saturday. The Gators team website also accidentally made public a prewritten story about him choosing to forego a medical redshirt so he could help the team this season.

Whether Handlogten suggested to the coaching staff that he was planning to return is unknown; however, Golden seemed to indicate last weekend that the player was at least considering such a move. The 7-foot-1, 235-pounder is likely physically cleared to play, though when coming back from a broken leg, there is a lot more mentally and physiologically to consider than bones healing.

Handlogten averaged 5.3 points, 6.9 rebounds and nearly a block per game last season after transferring from Marshall. He has started 64 of 65 game across his two-year career and would have undoubtedly done so for Florida this season had he not suffered that gruesome injury in the 2024 SEC Tournament.

His absence opened the door for sophomore Rueben Chinyelu to become a key cog in the Gators starting lineup. Chinyelu, a transfer from washington State, is averaging 5.4 points, 7.1 boards and a block per game himself.

Meanwhile, Handlogten has become an incredible bench presence for Florida lending tremendous energy and support to his teammates from the sideline.

Even without Handlogten on the court, the Gators (18-2, 5-2 EC) are off to the best 20-game start in program history and currently projected as a No. 2 seed in the 2025 NCAA Tournament.