Castleton named First Team All-SEC by league coaches
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Southeastern Conference men’s basketball coaches have named Florida‘s Colin Castleton to their preseason All-SEC first team.
It’s not the first preseason award for the Gators big man. Castleton was also named a preseason first-team All-SEC member by the media. He was also one of 20 big men across the country named to the preseason Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Watch List, which honors the nation’s best center at year’s end.
Last season, Castleton led the Gators in minutes per game, field goals made, points per game, rebounds per game, and blocks. He also finished the regular season ranked No. 2 in shots blocked per game (2.44) and offensive rebounds per game (3.16) in the SEC and third in total rebounds per contest (9.12) and shooting percentage (.543).
Castleton chose to return to Gainesville for his fifth year. This will be his first season under new head coach Todd Golden. The new coach has challenged Castleton to be more of a vocal leader for the Gators this year.
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“He just has a great ability to play make, he can handle the ball for a big guy,” Golden said. “We can get him the ball at the pinch post at the top of the key and he can turn it into a one-on-one move. He’s a great playmaker and decision maker, so it makes it easier. And what I’m most impressed with him about and I’ve challenged him on this, I want him to be an even more vocal leader. He’s a great player.”
Castleton and the Gators will open its season on Nov. 7 at 8 p.m. ET against Stony Brook in Gainesville.
Complete preseason All-SEC teams
First Team Preseason All-SEC
Jahvon Quinerly – Alabama
Nick Smith Jr. – Arkansas
Colin Castleton – Florida
Oscar Tshiebwe – Kentucky
Sahvir Wheeler – Kentucky
Tolu Smith – Mississippi State
Kobe Brown – Missouri
Santiago Vescovi – Tennessee
Zakai Zeigler – Tennessee
Second Team Preseason All-SEC
Brandon Miller – Alabama
Wendell Green Jr. – Auburn
K.D. Johnson – Auburn
Kario Oquendo – Georgia
KJ Williams – LSU
Matthew Murrell – Ole Miss
Josiah-Jordan James – Tennessee
Henry Coleman III – Texas A&M
