Denzel Aberdeen addresses decision to leave Florida

Denzel Aberdeen could’ve very simply remained in Gainesville as one the lone returners for the defending national champions. Instead, less than two weeks after winning it all, he chose to enter his name in the portal and, just a few days after that, committed to his new program in Lexington.

Aberdeen, speaking with the media on Monday, discussed what led him to to transfer away from Florida as he’d soon after commit to Kentucky. He didn’t say much, though, in that it was something that he and his family decided on ahead of his final season of college eligibility.

“It was pretty much between me and my family,” said Aberdeen.

Aberdeen, an Orlando native, spent his first three collegiate seasons with the Gators, making 83 appearances essentially all off of the bench. He would average 5.1 points (41.5% FG, 33.8% 3PT), 1.2 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game in that reserve role.

That includes this past season as a junior where Aberdeen had career-best stats of 7.7 points (41.8% FG, 35% 3PT), 1.7 rebounds, and 1.4 assists, with averages of 14.4 points (41.2% FG, 38.8% 3PT on 2.4 makes), 2.6 assists, 2.4 rebounds in five starts, with the team going undefeated in that span during conference play in February, made in place of Walter Clayton Jr. and Alijah Martin. That would make him one of the key contributors for one of their best seasons in school history as Florida would go 36-4 (.923) overall, winning the SEC Tournament as well as the national title in the NCAA Tournament.

With Clayton Jr., Martin, and Will Richard all out of eligibility, it appeared that Aberdeen finally had his chance to start in a bigger role as a senior at his home state school. However, not only would he leave, being a Top-100 transfer and the No. 5 combo guard per On3’s 2025 Top Transfer Portal Players, but he would go to an in-conference opponent in UK with him sounding very glad to now be with the Wildcats.

“I’m just happy for Kentucky for reaching out and giving me a chance to play here and try to get (a national championship) here,” Aberdeen said. “Like I said. Things happen in life but, I mean, it’s all in God’s plans. So, just being here, being at Kentucky, being at this next school I’m at, I’m just happy to be here and ready to go.”

It was expected that Aberdeen would be set as a featured part of the backcourt next season for Florida. However, Aberdeen will actually rather have one as a guard for Kentucky in ’25-’26.