Special to Gatorsports.com
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Select members of the media continued to reinforce the high expectations surrounding the 2019-20 Florida men’s basketball team as they voted the Gators to finish second in the Southeastern Conference.
In addition to the team’s projected standing, Kerry Blackshear Jr. and Andrew Nembhard also earned individual SEC preseason accolades.
A highly touted graduate transfer from Virginia Tech, Blackshear enters his first season on an SEC roster tabbed as the SEC Preseason Player of the Year and a member of the All-SEC first team. In his final season as a Hokie, Blackshear averaged 14.9 points and 7.5 rebounds, including nine double-doubles and seven games with 20 or more points.
Along with Blackshear, Nembhard also garnered preseason honors as he was named to the All-SEC second team. Nembhard returns for his sophomore season after starting all 36 contests as a freshman where he averaged 8 points and 5.4 assists per game.
UF will take the court for the first time Oct. 29 in an exhibition game against Lynn University. Florida is slated to begin its regular season Nov. 5 against North Florida.
| First Team All-SEC | |
| Player | School |
| Kerry Blackshear Jr. | Florida |
| Anthony Edwards | Georgia |
| Ashton Hagans | Kentucky |
| Breein Tyree | Ole Miss |
| Reggie Perry | Mississippi State |
| Second Team All-SEC | |
| Player | School |
| Kira Lewis Jr. | Alabama |
| Isaiah Joe | Arkansas |
| Andrew Nembhard | Florida |
| Tyrese Maxey | Kentucky |
| EJ Montgomery | Kentucky |
| Skylar Mays | LSU |
| Lamonte Turner | Tennessee |
| SEC Player of the Year | |
| Player | School |
| Kerry Blackshear | Florida |
| Predicted Order of Finish | |
| Position | Team |
| 1 | Kentucky |
| 2 | Florida |
| 3 | LSU |
| 4 | Auburn |
| 5 | Tennessee |
| 6 | Alabama |
| 7 | Mississippi State |
| 8 | Ole Miss |
| 9 | Georgia |
| 10 | South Carolina |
| 11 | Arkansas |
| 12 | Texas A&M |
| 13 | Missouri |
| 14 | Vanderbilt |
I am so excited for this year’s Men’s Gator Basketball season. And if this team is as good as they look on paper, look out U.K.! It ain’t all about ”little blue” this year, there’s another SEC school in the hunt for 2019-20 basketball season. Go Gators!
It is almost like if we don’t win it all, this season will be a failure. Lofty expectations, seems a little unfair. But who every said life is fair. All I want to see is, Florida in the conversation. It would be nice to beat KU as well. Go Gators!
Finally, a healthy Center with some skills! Coach White is putting it together.