Swampcast discusses how Florida football recruiting 2026 class is shaping up so far
The Sun’s Kevin Brockway and Noah Ram talk about Florida football recruiting with Nick Wilson of the USA Today Gannett Florida Network.
Florida basketball guard Alijah Martin was selected in the second round of the NBA Draft (39th overall) by the Toronto Raptors on June 26.
The 6-foot-2, 210-pound Martin averaged a career-high 14.4 points per game for the Florida Gators in 2024-25, helping lead UF to a 36-4 record and its third national title in school history.
“It’s a bunch of emotions, excited, nervous,” Martin told ESPN shortly after he was picked. “Just ready to get to the next level.”
A transfer from Florida Atlantic, Martin brought a rugged competitiveness to both ends of the floor. He ranked second on the Gators with 56 steals. Martin’s perimeter defense helped UF improve its defensive efficiency from 94th in the country (per KenPom) in 2023-24 to sixth in the country (per KenPom) in 2025.
In April, Martin became the first player in college basketball history to start for two Final Four teams, first with the Owls in 2023 and then the Gators in 2025.
Overall, Martin totaled 2,022 points, 786 rebounds, 321 3-point field goals, 253 assists and 211 steals over his five collegiate seasons at FAU and Florida.
Martin joins Walter Clayton Jr. (18th overall, traded to Utah Jazz) as the second UF player taken in the NBA Draft.
Here’s a look at the pros and cons of the Raptors drafting Martin:
Positives
Martin proved his mettle in the clutch, sinking a pair of go-ahead free throws with 46.5 seconds left in UF’s eventual 65-63 national title win over Houston. A high-level athlete, Martin plays bigger than his 6-foot-2 fame, as his 29 dunks ranked second on the team. Part of that high-level athleticism comes from Martin’s football background, as he passed for more than 2,100 yards and 20 TDs and rushed for more than 1,300 yards and 13 TDs as a dual-threat quarterback at North Pike (Miss.) High School.
Offensively, Martin showed his ability to score from the 3-point line (81-230, 35.2%) and free-throw line (91-121, 75.2%) in his lone season at UF and wasn’t afraid to mix it up on the boards (4.5 rebounds per game, 49 offensive rebounds). He scored in double figures in 31 of 38 games, including a season-high 32-point outing against Southern Illinois on Nov. 22, 2024. Martin was often credited by Florida basketball coach Todd Golden for the improving the physical and mental toughness for the Gators during their national championship season.
Concerns
Martin’s size (6-2) still isn’t ideal for a shooting guard/wing player at the NBA level, and he’s not a reliable enough ballhandler (85-55 assist-to-turnover ratio) to play the point. He’s a streaky 3-point shooter who at times can display questionable shot selection. As a junior in 2023-24, Martin shot just 33.8% from 3-point range before transferring to UF.
Final thoughts
Martin has proven to be a winning player wherever he’s suited up, helping lift FAU from obscurity to the Final Four in 2023 before emerging as one of the key additions to lead UF to a national title in 2025. He will likely bring those same winning intangibles to an NBA roster.
Kevin Brockway is The Gainesville Sun’s Florida beat writer. Contact him at kbrockway@gannett.com. Follow him on X @KevinBrockwayG1. Read his coverage of the Gators’ national championship basketball season in “CHOMP-IONS!” — a hardcover coffee-table collector’s book from The Sun. Details at Florida.ChampsBook.com