ESPN.com - No. 5: Florida

ESPN.com: ESPNMagazine

Tuesday, November 12, 2002
No. 5: Florida

By By Andy Latack

Last Season: 229, NCAA First Round


	It's now or never for Matt Bonner.

When you see a Gator center listed at 6'6", 313 pounds, you assume he's blocking for Rex Grossman. But frosh Mario Boggan plays for Billy Donovan, not Ron Zook. Which is why Billy D issued Boggan the down low: If you want serious minutes, it's time to lighten up. "He's lost some weight," Donovan says, "but that's like throwing a lawn chair off the Titanic." Funny he should mention the supposedly unsinkable ship, because the Gators are getting almost as much hype. Talented seniors (F Matt Bonner, G Brett Nelson) and superfreaky sophs (F David Lee, G James White) team up with a top-5 recruiting class to form Florida's deepest squad since the 2000 NCAA finalists. As long as Boggan doesn't tip the scales.

One Step Ahead: Why does Donovan land so many top recruits? Because he lets them play. Look for him to unleash two more newbies this season: Mickey D's point Anthony Roberson, a guy the Gators stole from Tom Izzo territory (Saginaw, Mich.), and Danish League POY Christian Drejer, a versatile 6'9" wing.

One Step Behind: Does Donovan woo great athletes over great players? Last season, seven games went down to the final possession; Florida lost six, including that double-OT Tourney shocker to Creighton. Typical case study: Soph James White's sick vert (40 inches) is barely exceeded by his free throw shooting (50%).

2002-2003 NCAA PREVIEW
MEN
1. Arizona Wildcats	9. Georgia Bulldogs
2. Kansas Jayhawks	10. UCLA Bruins
3. Oklahoma Sooners	11. Alabama Crimson Tide
4. Pittsburgh Panthers	12. Kentucky Wildcats
5. Florida Gators	13. Virginia Cavaliers
6. Texas Longhorns	14. Michigan State Spartans
7. Duke Blue Devils	15. Xavier Musketeers
8. UConn Huskies	16. Indiana Hoosiers

This article will appear in the November 25 issue of ESPN The Magazine.