Denzel Aberdeen returning to Florida for 2026-27 season

The Florida Gators had a well-known title on campus for a go to, and he is now set to return to this system for the 2026-27 season.

Denzel Aberdeenwho spent three seasons in Gainesville and helped lead the Gators to the nationwide championship in the course of the 2024-25 marketing campaign, is in Gainesville as he seeks a fifth season of eligibility, and he’ll return to Florida contingent on receiving a waiver for the 2026-27 season.

Aberdeen opted to enter the transfer portal after the 2024-25 season, and he joined the Kentucky Wildcats, the place he began 35 of 36 video games and averaged 13.5 factors and three.4 assists per sport whereas capturing 36.3 % from past the arc.

The 6-foot-5 guard made his return to the Stephen C. O’Connell Center on Feb. 14, the place he acquired appreciable jeers and was booed every time he touched the ball.

In the build-up to the competition, UF head coach Todd Golden downplayed the importance of Aberdeen’s return to Florida.

“You know me well enough to know we are treating this game like any other game. Happy he’s doing really well. Obviously, he’s helped their team quite a bit, get right these last couple months, and put them in a position where they’re competing,” Golden stated. “For us, like I said, just another game tomorrow and I don’t anticipate (Denzel’s return) being an issue or distraction for us.”

Aberdeen tried a season-high 21 discipline targets in opposition to the Gators within the first of three conferences between the 2 groups, ending with 19 factors.

“I’m expecting him to probably try and get off here. If I was him, I would be doing the same thing, so yeah,” UF senior guard Xaivian Lee he stated. “I didn’t play with him obviously, but like I’ve gotten to know him through a bunch of the guys here. And, I’m excited for him. It’s a cool opportunity for him, but I think for us, it’s also equally cool for us. So I think it will be a great atmosphere to play a game in.”

After the Wildcats’ season got here to a detailed within the second spherical in a loss to Iowa State – a sport through which Aberdeen scored 20 factors on 6-for-14 capturing – the in-state guard opted to enter the transfer portal as soon as once more regardless of not possessing eligibility.

Now, he’ll return to UF for the 2026-27 season, contingent on receiving an eligibility waiver from the NCAA.