The junior returns to Gainesville for his second season after playing a key role in Florida's run to the 2026 regular-season SEC title.
Fland averaged 11.6 points, 3.5 assists and 2.5 rebounds per game during the 2025-26 campaign, starting all 35 games for theGators. He also made his presence felt defensively, recording 61 steals, tied for the eighth-most in a single season in program history.
Now, Fland will look to take another step forward as part of a Florida backcourt that also returns Denzel Aberdeen.
Fland initially tested the NBA draft waters following his freshman campaign before withdrawing his name and entering the transfer portal. Florida, fresh off a national championship, quickly became a top destination and eventually landed the highly touted transfer.
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His first year with the Gators wasn't without areas for improvement. Fland connected on just 24% of his 3-point attempts but remained efficient inside the arc, shooting 57.4% on 2-point attempts. He also posted a better-than-2-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio while emerging as one of Florida's most disruptive perimeter defenders.
UF head coach Todd Golden praised Fland for his ability to distribute the ball and disrupt the opposing offenses.
"I feel like he's defending way more consistently and physically than he did early in the year. And he's an old-school point guard, man. Eight assists, one turnover. It's really, really valuable."
With a full season in Todd Golden's system behind him, Fland will have an opportunity to build on that production as Florida looks to remain among the nation's elite.
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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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