Florida basketball adds four transfers to Gators program ahead of 2021-22 season

By Adam Silverstein
April 15, 2021
Florida basketball adds four transfers to Gators program ahead of 2021-22 season
Basketball

Image Credit: Penn State Athletics

Florida Gators basketball officially announced Thursday that four incoming transfers will join the program ahead of the 2021-22 season. Boston College sophomore forward CJ Felder, Charleston Southern senior guard Philandrous Fleming Jr., Penn State junior G Myreon Jones and UMKC senior G Brandon McKissic will all enroll before the upcoming campaign.

Felder (6-foot-7, 230 pounds) averaged 9.7 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.2 blocks in 27.8 minutes per game for the Eagles last season, all improvements from his freshman campaign. He also stepped up his outside shooting and became more consistent across the board for Boston College. Felder will have two years of eligibility remaining with a potential COVID-19 eligibility waiver providing a third if he desires.

Fleming (6-foot-4, 210 pounds) averaged 20.1 points and 7.4 rebounds for the Buccaneers, making a career-low 39.5% of his field goals but a career-high 80.6% of his free throws last season. The two-time Big South Defensive Player of the Year gets it done on both ends with six 30-point games in his career. He will have one year of eligibility remaining.

Jones (6-foot-3, 180 pounds) was the Nittany Lions’ leading scorer, averaging 15.3 points with 40% shooting accuracy on field goals and three-pointers. He played 30.3 minutes per game and was tasked with being Penn State’s primary scoring threat, which was aided by his making more than 77% of his free throws. Jones has one year of eligibility remaining with a potential COVID-19 eligibility waiver providing a second if he desires.

McKissic (6-foot-3, 195 pounds), the first transfer added by the Gators, averaged 17.2 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists last season for UMKC. He shot a ridiculous 42.9% from three over 18 games and was named the Summit League’s Defensive Player of the Year. He has one year of eligibility remaining.

Though Jones and McKissic will only have one year of eligibility remaining, they are likely Day 1 starters for Florida, which will lose four players from its backcourt. Felder, who started 35 of the 50 games he’s played over the last two seasons, and Fleming are less certain to be in that starting five but should see significant playing time given the program’s extensive departures.

With the NCAA expected to formally pass a one-time transfer rule on Thursday, all players will be immediately eligible to play this season.

Florida sophomores point guard Tre Mann and G Scottie Lewis both hired agents and declared for the 2021 NBA Draft, while junior G Noah Locke and sophomore PG Ques Glover entered the transfer portal. In all, UF had four players in the portal and three who have declared for the draft, though junior forward Colin Castleton has not hired an agent and is expected to return to college.

The Gators are still waiting on official word from junior F Keyontae Johnson, the 2020 Preseason SEC Player of the Year whose season ended in December after he collapsed minutes into a road game against Florida State. Johnson was ruled out for the season but remained with the team in a bench advisory role; he has not yet announced his long-term health status and whether he could return to play at UF or elsewhere.

Florida is only welcoming in a single freshman as part of the Class of 2021, four-star G Kowacie Reeves.

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