The fifth-year guard returns to Florida after spending the 2025-26 season at Kentucky, where he averaged 13.5 points and 3.4 assists per game while shooting 36.3% from beyond the arc.
Aberdeen previously spent three seasons with theGatorsand was on Florida's 2025 national championship team. His return to Gainesville, however, came with uncertainty surrounding his eligibility for a fifth collegiate season.
The NCAA initially denied Aberdeen's waiver in May, less than six weeks after he announced his return to Florida. His eligibility situation eventually moved to court, where Judge George Wright granted Aberdeen's motion for a temporary injunction against the NCAA in September, clearing him to play for the Gators this season.
The NCAA is appealing the decision, but Aberdeen's eligibility is not currently expected to be in jeopardy.
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A significant part of Aberdeen's case centered around his limited playing time as a freshman during head coach Todd Golden's first season at Florida. Aberdeen appeared in less than 41 total minutes that year, despite using a full season of eligibility.
Amidst the uncertainty surrounding his status throughout the offseason, Aberdeen remained a full participant in Florida's practices and workouts. That allowed him to develop chemistry with a loaded Gators backcourt that includes junior Boogie Fland and reigning SEC Sixth Man of the Year Urban Klavžar.
"It's been good. I mean, we had that bond a little bit, you know, just going up against each other, chopping up on the court," Fland said.
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Now officially cleared to take the floor, Aberdeen gives Florida another experienced piece in a backcourt expected to play a major role in the Gators' pursuit of another championship.
The top-ranked Gators return to the court Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET on the SEC Network+ against Stetson. The matchup will be Florida's final preseason exhibition before the regular season opens Nov. 2 in Tampa against Miami.
Oct 14, 2026; Birmingham, AL, USA; Florida Gators head coach Todd Golden speaks during the SEC Basketball Tipoff at Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images
(Butch Dill, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
Oct 14, 2026; Birmingham, AL, USA; Florida Gators head coach Todd Golden speaks during the SEC Basketball Tipoff at Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images
(Butch Dill, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
Oct 14, 2026; Birmingham, AL, USA; Florida Gators head coach Todd Golden speaks during the SEC Basketball Tipoff at Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images
(Butch Dill, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
Oct 14, 2026; Birmingham, AL, USA; Florida Gators head coach Todd Golden speaks during the SEC Basketball Tipoff at Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images
(Butch Dill, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
Oct 14, 2026; Birmingham, AL, USA; Florida Gators head coach Todd Golden speaks during the SEC Basketball Tipoff at Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images
(Butch Dill, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
Oct 14, 2026; Birmingham, AL, USA; Florida Gators head coach Todd Golden speaks during the SEC Basketball Tipoff at Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images
(Butch Dill, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
Oct 14, 2026; Birmingham, AL, USA; Florida Gators head coach Todd Golden speaks during the SEC Basketball Tipoff at Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images
(Butch Dill, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
Oct 14, 2026; Birmingham, AL, USA; Florida Gators forward Thomas Waugh speaks during the SEC Basketball Tipoff at Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images
(Butch Dill, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
Oct 14, 2026; Birmingham, AL, USA; Florida Gators forward Thomas Waugh speaks during the SEC Basketball Tipoff at Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images
(Butch Dill, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
Oct 14, 2026; Birmingham, AL, USA; Florida Gators forward Thomas Waugh speaks during the SEC Basketball Tipoff at Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images
(Butch Dill, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
Oct 14, 2026; Birmingham, AL, USA; Florida Gators center Rueben Chinyelu speaks during the SEC Basketball Tipoff at Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images
(Butch Dill, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
Oct 14, 2026; Birmingham, AL, USA; Florida Gators center Rueben Chinyelu speaks during the SEC Basketball Tipoff at Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images
(Butch Dill, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
Oct 14, 2026; Birmingham, AL, USA; Florida Gators center Rueben Chinyelu speaks during the SEC Basketball Tipoff at Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images
(Butch Dill, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
Oct 14, 2026; Birmingham, AL, USA; Florida Gators forward Alex Condon speaks during the SEC Basketball Tipoff at Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images
(Butch Dill, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
Oct 14, 2026; Birmingham, AL, USA; Florida Gators forward Alex Condon speaks during the SEC Basketball Tipoff at Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images
(Butch Dill, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
Oct 14, 2026; Birmingham, AL, USA; Florida Gators forward Alex Condon speaks during the SEC Basketball Tipoff at Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images
(Butch Dill, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
Oct 14, 2026; Birmingham, AL, USA; Florida Gators forward Alex Condon speaks during the SEC Basketball Tipoff at Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images
(Butch Dill, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
1/17
PHOTOS: Florida men's basketball at 2026 SEC Basketball Tipoff
Oct 14, 2026; Birmingham, AL, USA; Florida Gators head coach Todd Golden speaks during the SEC Basketball Tipoff at Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images
(Butch Dill, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
1/17
PHOTOS: Florida men's basketball at 2026 SEC Basketball Tipoff
Oct 14, 2026; Birmingham, AL, USA; Florida Gators head coach Todd Golden speaks during the SEC Basketball Tipoff at Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images
(Butch Dill, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
2/17
PHOTOS: Florida men's basketball at 2026 SEC Basketball Tipoff
Oct 14, 2026; Birmingham, AL, USA; Florida Gators head coach Todd Golden speaks during the SEC Basketball Tipoff at Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images
(Butch Dill, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
3/17
CBS Sports reveals Florida's staggering $25 million-plus roster value
Oct 14, 2026; Birmingham, AL, USA; Florida Gators head coach Todd Golden speaks during the SEC Basketball Tipoff at Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images
(Butch Dill, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
4/17
PHOTOS: Florida men's basketball at 2026 SEC Basketball Tipoff
Oct 14, 2026; Birmingham, AL, USA; Florida Gators head coach Todd Golden speaks during the SEC Basketball Tipoff at Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images
(Butch Dill, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
5/17
PHOTOS: Florida men's basketball at 2026 SEC Basketball Tipoff
Oct 14, 2026; Birmingham, AL, USA; Florida Gators head coach Todd Golden speaks during the SEC Basketball Tipoff at Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images
(Butch Dill, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
6/17
PHOTOS: Florida men's basketball at 2026 SEC Basketball Tipoff
Oct 14, 2026; Birmingham, AL, USA; Florida Gators head coach Todd Golden speaks during the SEC Basketball Tipoff at Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images
(Butch Dill, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
7/17
Florida's Todd Golden discusses preseason Baylor loss, Stetson matchup
Oct 14, 2026; Birmingham, AL, USA; Florida Gators head coach Todd Golden speaks during the SEC Basketball Tipoff at Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images
(Butch Dill, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
8/17
PHOTOS: Florida men's basketball at 2026 SEC Basketball Tipoff
Oct 14, 2026; Birmingham, AL, USA; Florida Gators forward Thomas Waugh speaks during the SEC Basketball Tipoff at Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images
(Butch Dill, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
9/17
PHOTOS: Florida men's basketball at 2026 SEC Basketball Tipoff
Oct 14, 2026; Birmingham, AL, USA; Florida Gators forward Thomas Waugh speaks during the SEC Basketball Tipoff at Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images
(Butch Dill, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
10/17
PHOTOS: Florida men's basketball at 2026 SEC Basketball Tipoff
Oct 14, 2026; Birmingham, AL, USA; Florida Gators forward Thomas Waugh speaks during the SEC Basketball Tipoff at Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images
(Butch Dill, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
11/17
PHOTOS: Florida men's basketball at 2026 SEC Basketball Tipoff
Oct 14, 2026; Birmingham, AL, USA; Florida Gators center Rueben Chinyelu speaks during the SEC Basketball Tipoff at Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images
(Butch Dill, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
12/17
PHOTOS: Florida men's basketball at 2026 SEC Basketball Tipoff
Oct 14, 2026; Birmingham, AL, USA; Florida Gators center Rueben Chinyelu speaks during the SEC Basketball Tipoff at Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images
(Butch Dill, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
13/17
PHOTOS: Florida men's basketball at 2026 SEC Basketball Tipoff
Oct 14, 2026; Birmingham, AL, USA; Florida Gators center Rueben Chinyelu speaks during the SEC Basketball Tipoff at Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images
(Butch Dill, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
14/17
PHOTOS: Florida men's basketball at 2026 SEC Basketball Tipoff
Oct 14, 2026; Birmingham, AL, USA; Florida Gators forward Alex Condon speaks during the SEC Basketball Tipoff at Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images
(Butch Dill, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
15/17
PHOTOS: Florida men's basketball at 2026 SEC Basketball Tipoff
Oct 14, 2026; Birmingham, AL, USA; Florida Gators forward Alex Condon speaks during the SEC Basketball Tipoff at Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images
(Butch Dill, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
16/17
PHOTOS: Florida men's basketball at 2026 SEC Basketball Tipoff
Oct 14, 2026; Birmingham, AL, USA; Florida Gators forward Alex Condon speaks during the SEC Basketball Tipoff at Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images
(Butch Dill, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
17/17
PHOTOS: Florida men's basketball at 2026 SEC Basketball Tipoff
Oct 14, 2026; Birmingham, AL, USA; Florida Gators forward Alex Condon speaks during the SEC Basketball Tipoff at Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images
(Butch Dill, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
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