Todd Golden thinks Colin Castleton can play ‘10 to 15 years’ in NBA

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Gators could have a former player drafted for the third year in a row on Thursday. Florida’s Colin Castleton is projected as potential second-round pick.

The 2023 NBA Draft begins at 8 p.m. ET from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn and will be televised by ABC (first round) and ESPN (first and second rounds).

UF coach Todd Golden made a strong pitch to NBA teams on Colin Castleton’s behalf.

“I look at the NBA and obviously we watch a lot of basketball, whether it’s college or the NBA. I think he can be a guy that plays in the league for 10 to 15 years,” Golden said Thursday. “He’s got incredible, very good positional size. He can move really, really well, very good IQ, can dribble, pass. I think he can shoot it, even more so than he did for us last year if he gets confident in that regard. And he’s a fantastic defender, has ability to really protect the rim, can switch on the guards, keep them in front, contest their jump shots.

“Obviously it’s gonna be hard for him as a rookie to come into the NBA and start. But they have 13, 14, 15 roster spots. I’m taking that guy and trying to figure it out and see where you can fit in. And I think he will be, if surrounded by the right guys and the right organization, a guy that really, really pops early. As a guy that’s like, ‘Oh man. We didn’t expect him to be this good, this early in his career.’ But him surrounded by better players will be really beneficial for him.”

Colin Castleton earned first-team All-SEC honors from the coaches and USA Today and second-team from the AP, as well as Defensive Player of the Year by USA Today and All-Defensive Team by the coaches.

He led UF in scoring (16.0), rebounding (7.7), blocked shots (78) and free throws made (113). Prior to his injury, he had four straight 20-point games, including a 29-point, 10-rebound double-double at No. 3 Alabama.

Castleton’s 3.0 blocked shots per game set a Florida single-season record, led the SEC and ranked third in the nation. His 2.49 career average also surpassed Dwayne Schintzius (2.47) for the program record.

“Colin feels like he got better here last year and expanded his game. Obviously was able to play with the ball in his hands a lot more on the perimeter and he knows for him to be a successful NBA player, he’s gotta continue to get better that way,” Golden said. “His defensive flexibility is incredibly impressive. I think that was on display for us when he was healthy last year. If we were playing against a team that didn’t have a pick and pop five, we could just drop them and he would protect the rim and be a great rim protector. We play LSU with KJ Williams, we could just switch him onto a guard and we were never concerned about him getting beat off the dribble.

“In the NBA, that’s all it’s about. You go watch the playoffs, the first two quarters, they’re running some sets and doing some things. But at the end of the game when teams are trying to win, they go look at the weakest defender defensively, they bring his guy up, they set a ball screen, they get a switch and then they play. And for Colin to be able to do that and keep a guy in front, I think it’s a great feather in his cap. But a lot of other frontcourt players in college, whether they’re 4s or 5s, can’t do that.”

Florida forward Alex Fudge will also be hoping to hear his name called in the 2023 NBA Draft. Former Gator Andrew Nembhard was picked last year, and 2021 draftees Tre Mann and Scottie Lewis became the first UF players selected in eight years.