Denzel Aberdeen Returning to Florida Amid Eligibility Pursuit

Former Gator guard Denzel Aberdeen is returning to Gainesville, as reported by Jon Rothstein with CBS Sports. 

“I’m excited to announce that I’m planning to re-enroll at the University of Florida to finish my undergraduate degree,” Aberdeen shared in an Instagram post Friday. “Thankful for the opportunity to finish my academic journey back home at the place where it started.” 

The Orlando native spent three seasons playing for Florida before entering the transfer portal following the 2025 National Championship. Aberdeen played at Kentucky in his senior year, starting in 35 out of 36 games and averaging 13.5 points and 3.4 assists per game. 

In his three games against Florida as a Wildcat, Aberdeen and his team fell short every time. Despite the guard scoring over 15 points in each meetup, including 17 in Kentucky’s SEC tournament loss, the Wildcats were unable to come out on top.

As he played just 41 minutes in 12 games as a freshman, Aberdeen is attempting to add an additional year of eligibility pending the approval of an eligibility waiver. 

If his waiver is approved, Aberdeen will rejoin coach Todd Golden and other members of the title-winning team. He played a crucial role as the first player off the bench that year, averaging 7.7 points per game. 

When star guards Walter Clayton Jr. and Alijah Martin were injured, Aberdeem started in five games for the Gators. He averaged 14.4 points and shot 41% from behind the arc, putting up two 20-plus point efforts. 

Aberdeen hopes to return to Florida in a more permanent starting position. Playing alongside returning guard Boogie Fland, Aberdeen could be a key piece in a strong backcourt for the Gators.

Category: College Basketball, Gators Men's Basketball