Florida basketball adds star transfer guard Brandon McKissic from UMKC

Basketball

0

Image Credit: UMKC Athletics

The Florida Gators basketball roster is in significant turmoil right now, but despite its significant personnel losses, head coach Mike White has once again hit a home run in the transfer market. White on Friday landed a commitment from graduate transfer guard Brandon McKissic, one of the top players in the transfer portal.

“Coach White made it known from day one that he wanted me in his program. Florida is big on player development and they had a plan for me and what they wanted to do with my game,” McKissic told 247Sports’ Eric Bossi. “I felt like Gainesville is where I need to be to elevate and take myself to the next level of play.”

McKissic (6-foot-3, 195 pounds) averaged 17.2 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists last season for UMKC. He shot a ridiculous 42.9% from three over 18 games and was named the Summit League’s Defensive Player of the Year.

Though McKissic will only have one year of eligibility remaining as a graduate student, he is a Day 1 starter for the Gators, which will lose four players from their backcourt. Sophomores point guard Tre Mann and G Scottie Lewis both hired agents and declared for the 2021 NBA Draft, while junior G Noah Locke and sophomore PG Ques Glover entered the transfer portal.

In all, Florida has four players in the portal and three who have declared for the draft, though junior forward Colin Castleton has not hired an agent and is expected to return to college.

The Gators are still waiting on official word from junior F Keyontae Johnson, the 2020 Preseason SEC Player of the Year whose season ended in December after he collapsed minutes into a road game against Florida State. Johnson was ruled out for the season but remained with the team in a bench advisory role; he has not yet announced his long-term health status and whether he could return to play at UF or elsewhere.

Florida is only welcoming in a single freshman as part of the Class of 2021, four-star G Kowacie Reeves.