This Florida Gators star has received a significant honor before he prepares for the NBA Draft.
The Florida Gators' NCAA Tournament run definitely came to an abrupt end this spring, as they fell to the Iowa Hawkeyes in the second round.
Florida was aiming to defend its national championship and earned a No. 1 seed in the field, but it obviously fell well short of expectations.
That being said, the Gators were one of the most dominant teams in the country throughout most of the year, and a big reason for that was center Rueben Chinyelu.
Chinyelu averaged 10.9 points, 11.2 rebounds and one block over 24.5 minutes per game while shooting 58.4 percent from the floor and 69.5 percent from the free-throw line, his best collegiate campaign to date.
For his efforts, Chinyelu has received a major honor, winning the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award.
That accolade comes just in time for the NBA Draft, as it's looking like Chinyelu is going to declare. Remember: he declared last year, but elected to return to Florida for one more season. Now, after an even better showing, he is likely NBA-bound.
ESPN's most recent mock draft — which was released just before the Big Dance — had Chinyelu going 47th overall to the Orlando Magic, so he is generally viewed as a mid-to-late second-round pick at the moment.
Given his offensive limitations, it seems hard to envision Chinyelu improving his stock that much by spending another year with the Gators, so chances are, the Nigerian native will be headed to the pros.
Chinyelu actually began his collegiate career at Washington State in 2023-24, logging 4.7 points, five boards and 1.3 blocks per game with the Cougars. He transferred to Florida the following year and posted six points, 6.6 rebounds and one block a night during his debut season in Gainesville.
Due to his ridiculous wingspan, tremendous athleticism and fantastic defensive instincts, Chinyelu could end up being one of the biggest sleepers in this year's draft class, and it wouldn't be surprising if he is ultimately a late riser.
Defensive anchors are incredibly valuable, and Chinyelu has the potential to be just that on the NBA level.
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