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Florida Center Rueben Chinyelu Is Coming Back for His Senior Season
Chinyelu averaged 10.9 points and 11.2 rebounds last season and returns after going undrafted in first-round mock projections.
On Thursday, Florida Gators center Rueben Chinyelu announced he will withdraw from the NBA draft and return for his senior season, strengthening the team's frontcourt for 2026-27.
Despite performing well at the AWS NBA Draft Combine, Chinyelu faced uncertainty as a potential second-round prospect and prioritized long-term development over entering a loaded draft.
Earning Naismith Defensive Player of the Year honors, Chinyelu became the first Florida player in 50 years to average a double-double, totaling 11.2 rebounds per game and leading all power-conference players.
Coach Todd Golden's roster, expected to cost roughly $25 million, retains more than 80% of last season's scoring and features All-SEC forwards Thomas Haugh and Alex Condon.
Aiming to rebound from a second-round NCAA Tournament exit, the Gators seek another title to add to the program's 2025 crown, a goal Chinyelu said is driven by wanting to "do something special.