Florida dominates CBS Sports’ top 25 ranking of the best retentions in college basketball
By Ethan Stone
Published:
College basketball today is dominated by the transfer portal as teams try to put together the best squads in the sport by luring players with lucrative NIL deals. Some teams though, such as Florida, can afford to retain talent from the previous season and still put a winning product to the court.
The Gators dominated CBS Sports’ top 25 ranking of the top retentions in college basketball heading into the 2026-27 season, released Friday by writer Cameron Salerno. Florida landed 3 players in the top 15 and two within the top 10, also including the No. 1 retention, Thomas Haugh. Following Haugh is Rueben Chinyelu at No. 9 and Alex Condon at No. 11.
Find the full ranking here.
The monster Florida trio’s inclusion on this list should come as no surprise, and if anything it’s arguable that all players mentioned should be in the top 10. Haugh, Chinyelu and Condon have terrorized the SEC across the past 2 seasons, winning a title in 2025 and landing a 1-seed last Marrch before fizzling out in the Round of 32. If the Gators can get some more consistent guard play, they should be a threat to win it all once more.
On paper, the Gators did just that. Florida actually returns most of its lineup from last season, including guards Boogie Fland and Urban Klavzar alongside returning guard Denzel Aberdeen, who took a brief hiatus to play for Mark Pope and Kentucky after winning a title with the Gators in 2025.
Are the Gators this preseason No. 1 team?
Ethan Stone is a Tennessee graduate and loves all things college football and college basketball. Firm believer in fouling while up 3.
