Riley Kugel announces he's returning to Florida for sophomore year
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Riley Kugel is back. Florida’s star freshman guard announced Tuesday that he’s returning to school for his sophomore year with a video on social media.
Kugel made 17 starts in 32 games played last season, averaged 9.9 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game. His play earned him a spot on the SEC All-Freshman Team.
“It’s just an honor,” Kugel said after being recognized. “Words can’t express how grateful I am. And just to be in high school a couple months ago. Now, being in the SEC, all these awards. It’s just a blessing.”
Kugel capped the 2022-23 season with a 10-game double-figure streak to end the season, which tied Bradley Beal (2011-12) for the longest such streak by a UF freshman this century.
Kugel averaged 21.0 points in the last four regular season games and 17.3 points during that 10-game stretch, including three 20-point performances and a career-high 24 points vs. Kentucky.
Kugel played well enough as a freshman, especially late in the year, to consider declaring for the NBA Draft. Florida coach Todd Golden credited Kugel for putting himself in position to turn pro.
“Obviously if he gets in the position where he’s a first-round pick, he should go. You know, first round, it’s hard to turn that down, right? But if he’s not, he shouldn’t. I think it’s that simple,” Golden said. “I think he has a chance to be an incredibly high selection next year, if that’s the route that he wants to go. But Riley’s a great kid. He’s a great young man, and a guy that obviously did a great job navigating the freshman year.
“The jump he made within the SEC play was remarkable. Like you don’t see that very often. I think the last eight or nine games he was averaging close to 20 points a game. Just pretty, pretty impressive stuff and he’s proven the capacity to do really, really well. And my goal is to just help him get better in all the areas, you know, to make him more complete player and give him a better chance to be successful at the next level.”
Gators’ 2023-24 roster with Riley Kugel
With Kugel’s announcement, Golden and his coaching staff now have six scholarship players on the roster for the 2023-24 season after five portal departures and one incoming transfer so far.
In addition to Kugel, the Gators return Denzel Aberdeen, Alex Fudge, Will Richard and Aleks Szymczyk. UF also announced the signing of Yale graduate transfer forward EJ Jarvis on Monday.
