Where did Florida’s basketball transfers come from? Alijah Martin, Walter Clayton Jr. & other Gators stars’ former teams

The Florida Gators are one win away from winning the 2025 national championship in the NCAA Tournament, which means they did a lot in the last offseason to make it happen.

The Gators returned to the title game for the first time since 2007, which was their last championship win. They won in 2006 and 2007 under coach Billy Donovan, who now coaches in the NBA after his departure in 2015.

Since then, Florida has had multiple tournament runs but couldn't return to the Final Four. After hiring Todd Golden in 2022, the Gators finally made progress as they improved throughout his three years at the helm so far.

His success is shown through his recruiting and ability to land players from programs who have an eyes for finding talent. Here are some of the players he found in the transfer portal who are playing major roles in the Gators' tournament run this year.

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Walter Clayton Jr.: From Iona to Florida

Walter Clayton Jr. provided huge performances in the Elite Eight and Final Four for the Gators, scoring 64 points combined against Texas Tech and Auburn.

Clayton's beginning took place at Iowa, where he spent the first two years of his career. He showcased his scoring and playmaking talent early on, becoming a key fixture in the starting five.

In the 2022-23 campaign, he averaged 16.8 points and 4.3 rebounds on 43.1% from downtown, leading the Gaels to an appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

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Alijah Martin: From FAU to Florida

Alijah Martin made himself an established star when he joined Florida. It started at FAU.

Martin played the first four years of his career with the Owls, starting as a key player off the bench before earning a place in the starting lineup. He helped Florida Atlantic make consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, including their historic Final Four run in 2023.

Martin will now look to end his collegiate career on top, chasing the national championship he was close to reaching two years ago.

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Will Richard: From Belmont to Florida

Will Richard joined the Gators after spending his freshman season at Belmont. He was solid throughout the 2021-22 campaign with the Bruins. He averaged 12.1 points and six rebounds throughout 33 appearances that included 30 starts, shooting 46.8% from the field, including 32.6% from beyond the arc.

Richard was also active on defense, recording 41 steals and 27 blocks. His best scoring performances for Belmont were 20-point outings against Samford (23) in the regular season and Vanderbilt (22) in the NIT.

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Rueben Chinyelu: From Washington State to Florida

A talented player from the continent of Africa, Rueben Chinyelu initially began his collegiate career at Washington State.

Chinyelu was one of the best international prospects in the Class of 2023, enrolling with the Cougars ahead of the 2023-24 season. He averaged 4.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 35 games, starting 12.

He had notable performances against teams ranked in the AP Top 25. Chinyelu recorded a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds when the Cougars beat No. 4 Arizona on the road. He helped Washington State take down the Wildcats again, recording three rejections in a home victory.