Zyon Pullin names Florida Gators in top two following official visit
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Zyon Pullin, one of the nation’s top point guards in the transfer portal this offseason, is down to a pair of schools. Florida made the top two following his official visit to Gainesville over the weekend.
The Gators are one of the finalists for Pullin along with LSU, according to ESPN’s Jeff Borzello. The First-team All-Big West selection just took trips to both programs and will now decide on his next destination for college.
Zyon Pullin previously named a top five of Florida, Gonzaga, LSU, Michigan, and Xavier.
The 6-foot-4 guard from UC Riverside averaged a career-high 18.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game as a senior this past season. He shot a 48.6-percent from the floor and 39.4-percent from 3-point range.
Pullin made 77 starts and 109 appearances in his four years at UC Riverside, becoming a full-time starter as a sophomore. He is ranked the No. 12 point guard and the No. 56 overall player in the On3 transfer portal rankings.
Pullin entered his name in the 2023 NBA Draft on March 27 and then entered the transfer portal on May 17 while still going through the draft process. Two weeks later, following a workout with the Detroit Pistons, he withdrew his name from the NBA Draft and focused on his recruitment.
With 10 players on the 2023-24 roster, the Gators have three scholarships remaining and Pullin would be another key addition to the team. He would boost Florida’s talent in the backcourt and provide a formidable one-two punch with Walter Clayton Jr., UF’s highest-ranked signee.
If Pullin picks the Gators, they will become one of only three teams with a trio of top-60 transfers in the 2023 class, along with Arkansas and West Virginia.
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Gators among winners in 2023 portal cycle
The Gators have the No. 12 class in the On3 team transfer portal team rankings and boast one of the nation’s highest average player ratings (91.50).
Florida has signed a total of four transfers — Iona combo guard Walter Clayton Jr., Marshall center Micah Handlogten, Yale power forward EJ Jarvis and Seton Hall forward Tyrese Samuel — to join four returning players, led by starters Riley Kugel and Will Richard, and 2023 signees Alex Condon and Thomas Haugh.
RELATED: Alex Condon, Thomas Haugh part of Florida’s offseason workouts after enrolling early
UF is one of only five schools with at least four commits in the top 175 of the On3 transfer portal player rankings, with the others being St. John’s (5), Arkansas (4), Georgia (4) and LSU (4). Clayton is the coaching staff’s highest-ranked transfer signee at No. 20 overall, followed by Handlogten (40th nationally), Jarvis (171st) and Samuel (172nd).
On3 national basketball recruiting analyst Jamie Shaw broke down the biggest winners and losers of the 2023 transfer portal cycle, including the Gators.
“Micah Handlogten was one of the most intriguing players to enter the portal during this cycle. The 7-foot-1 freshman was the Sun Belt Rookie of the Year after finishing top 20 overall in D1 in rebounds (9.8) and blocked shots (2.3). Walter Clayton, a Lake Wales, Florida native, earned the MAAC Player of the Year award. He brings toughness to the guard position but also shot 43.1 percent from three and 95.3 percent from the free throw line. Tyrese Samuel is a 6-foot-10 grad transfer who has experienced success at the high major level. EJ Jarvis is a 6-foot-8 power forward who shot 40.6 percent from three and blocked 1.5 shots last season.”
