“Who Is Alex Condon? Rising Australian Sensation Making Headlines in College Hoops”

Rising Florida Gators star forward/center Alex Condon has officially removed his name from the 2025 NBA Draft pool and will return to Gainesville for his junior season, the program announced Tuesday, 27 May 2025. Condon’s decision shores up head coach Todd Golden’s front-court rotation just six weeks after the Gators captured their first national title since 2007. The 6-foot-11 Australian averaged 13.4 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.7 blocks and shot 37 % from three in 25.8 minutes last season, earning second-team All-SEC honors while starting 37 of 38 games. Why he’s coming back • Draft stock reset: Feedback from NBA executives projected Condon as a late first- to early second-round pick, with scouts citing the need to tighten his handle and improve lateral quickness when switching onto guards. • NIL security: Multiple industry sources estimate Condon’s NIL valuation in Gainesville could eclipse $750,000 in 2025-26, exceeding many two-way NBA contracts. • Repeat mission: “Running it back with my brothers for another title means everything,” Condon wrote on X in a video message filmed inside the O’Connell Center. What it means for Florida 1. Front-court continuity: Condon rejoins shot-blocking sophomore Emmanuel Okpara and stretch-four Riley Kugel, giving Golden three interchangeable bigs who can all defend the rim. 2. Recruiting ripple: Five-star power forward Marcus Grant, who was eyeing early playing time, now projects as a high-energy reserve instead of a Day 1 starter. 3. Preseason rankings surge: With Condon back, multiple analytics models move Florida into the consensus top-three nationally, behind only Duke and reigning runner-up Kansas. Condon’s development path The Melbourne native exploded onto the college scene as a freshman, but his sophomore leap came after adding 18 pounds of muscle and drilling 1,000 corner threes per week in off-season workouts. Coaches credited his improved footwork for a six-percent uptick in post-touch efficiency and a career-best 68 % finishing rate at the rim. Pro scouts still love his ceiling. “He’s a modern five—rim protection, pick-and-pop range, short-roll passing,” one Western Conference executive told the Associated Press. The exec added that another year of reps defending NBA-style actions in the SEC could solidify Condon as a lottery prospect in 2026. Key dates ahead • Early June: Condon rejoins Australia’s Boomers training camp and is expected to appear in two exhibition games versus China. • 20 July: Florida’s annual “Live at the Swamp” summer showcase, where Condon will debut his refined mid-post fadeaway. • 7 November: Season opener against Stetson; ESPN has already earmarked the broadcast for its “College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon.” Stat to know Condon ranked in the 92nd percentile nationally in pick-and-roll defense (0.70 PPP allowed), per Synergy Sports. That two-way versatility was a cornerstone of Florida’s March run, during which the Gators held opponents to 0.89 PPP and posted a +14.7 net rating with Condon on the floor. Bottom line Alex Condon’s return instantly makes Florida one of the favorites to repeat as national champions, while giving the junior another season to cement first-round status in a 2026 NBA Draft class expected to be deeper at the guard positions than at center. For Gator Nation, it’s a monumental offseason win—and for the rest of college basketball, a looming 7-foot problem.