The Florida Gators were the hottest team in college basketball when the NCAA Tournament commenced. Auburn claimed the No. 1 overall seed, but Florida won the SEC Tournament and gained significant momentum in the final stages of the regular season. That has carried over to March Madness, with the Gators now winners of 10 straight.
Their reward? An SEC showdown with Auburn in the Final Four, which figures to be one of the best games of this season. The predominant narrative around this tournament was the uniquely high profile of the SEC, which put a record number of teams in the bracket. It has been a mixed bag for the conference overall, but the top seeds continue to deliver.
It has not been the smoothest Final Four run for Florida, who faced strong challenges from No. 8 UConn and No. 3 Texas Tech. But wins are wins, and this Gators team has all the hallmarks of a future champ. From star guard Walter Clayton Jr. to dynamic frontcourt centerpiece Alex Condon, this team has the talent to go the distance. Saturday's showdown with Auburn is a great litmus test.
Condon in particular has been generating NBA Draft buzz these past few weeks. I'd imagine Clayton is a lock in the late first round or early second round, but Condon's stock has been a bit more nebulous. He's coming on strong at the right moment, though.
Alex Condon displayed toughness and versatility in Florida’s Elite 8-clinching win over Maryland. Smart, physical, and competitive, with impressive awareness on both ends. His impact on winning was felt in just 14 minutes of play, battling through an ankle injury. pic.twitter.com/IPEwCKpoQO
— League Him (@League_Him) March 28, 2025
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Alex Condon NBA Draft projection: Strong Final Four could put Gators sophomore in first round
It has been an up and down March Madness for Condon. He dealt with the ankle injury against Maryland and was fairly quiet in wins over Texas Tech (seven points, seven rebounds in 28 minutes) and UConn (five points, seven rebounds, four assists in 28 minutes). Still, all the tools are there and he plays an integral role on both ends for the Gators. Not every NBA scout cares about the raw box score.
Condon's approach to the game rocks. He's everything NBA teams want in a modern big — lengthy, mobile, and skilled. He shows impressive feel as a passing hub and looks comfortable navigating traffic as a face-up scorer. He might not be a go-to weapon, but Condon can space the floor, attack closeouts, and rifle pinpoint dimes from the elbow. He also anchors the paint effectively on defense, averaging 1.4 blocks and 0.8 steals on the season.
Right now, the consensus on Condon appears to skew toward the second round. He's the 42nd pick in Bleacher Report's latest mock draft and the 54th pick here at FanSided, ranked 51st on our big board. His tendency to disappear for long stretches in these high-profile matchups is not ideal. His defensive presence is sturdy and Condon processes the floor well, but he does not operate with the assertiveness we tend to see from most first-round picks.
He's easy to lump into a group of skilled, versatile bigs hovering in the late-first, early-second round limbo. Creighton's Ryan Kalkbrenner (projected 53rd pick at FanSided) and Stanford's Maxime Raynaud (projected 55th pick at FanSided) feel like natural comps. Or points of comparison, more accurately. All three have wide draft ranges. Dig deep enough, and you'll find first round cases for all of 'em (Kalkbrenner and Raynaud are first-round picks at Yahoo, Condon is a first-round pick at Sportskeeda).
A strong Final Four, especially with Johni Broome and Auburn's experienced frontcourt on the docket, could help Condon separate his name from the pack a bit. It helps that he's a sophomore, too, still 20 years old. Kalkbrenner and Raynaud are both seniors. NBA scouts will typically gravitate toward youth, especially when it's paired with obvious room for growth. Condon's touch, agility, and feel give him a strong baseline, as well as a foundation for future improvement.
The 6-foot-11 Australian has a big test on the horizon. If the Gators can finish this out with a couple more wins, I'd imagine it coincides with a boost in NBA Draft stock for Condon, who continues to grind out possessions and find ways to impact winning, even when he's not scoring a bunch.