GAINESVILLEWhen the NBA welcomed Florida guard Alijah Martin to the green room for the second round of the draft, he was set up for a successful evening.
Will Richard’s chances of hearing his name called as a backcourt companion were not quite as good.
The Gators’ national championship backcourt finished the trifecta by the conclusion of the evening.
At the Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn on Thursday night, Martin didn’t have to wait long as he was selected by the Toronto Raptors in the 39th choice of the second round, just nine picks into the process. Like Walter Clayton Jr. the night before, Richard was taken at No. 56 by the Memphis Grizzlies and traded to the Golden State Warriors, who had four picks remaining in the two-round, 60-player tournament.
After his selection, an emotional Martin was interviewed by ESPN.
“It’s a range of emotions, including excitement and nervousness,” he remarked. I’m only eager to demonstrate my abilities and advance to the next level.
Martin, who is undersized at 6′ 2″, but powerful and explosive at 215 pounds, was selected in the second round of most mock drafts due to his contributions to the Gators’ national title run and his impressive workouts for NBA teams.
Clayton was dealt to the Utah Jazz right away after Washington selected him as the 18th player overall on Wednesday. Although placing in the top 20 was unexpected, everyone assumed Clayton would be selected in the first round after his incredible postseason, which ended with the school winning its third national title.
The Gators would not have advanced if Martin and Richard hadn’t played crucial roles themselves.
In the second round, Martin scored 14 points on 6 of 9 shooting in the first half to keep UF within striking distance of UConn, the two-time defending national champion. Then, in a 77-75 comeback victory that was capped off by Clayton’s clutch effort in the closing minutes, Richard scored 13 points in the second half.
Martin pulled down 14 rebounds in victories over Texas Tech and Maryland, two teams that had strong inside games to rival the Gators, in the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight, respectively. Richard scored 14 points in the first half of the Gators’ 65-63 victory over Houston in the national championship, which ended with UF behind 31-28.
However, neither Martin nor Richard’s postseason results guaranteed them a spot in the NBA.
Martin is a hyper-athletic, high-energy guard who plays bigger than his size and affects the game with his tenacity, rebounding, and defensive grit, according to Yahoo Sports, which projected him to be selected by the Detroit Pistons at number 37.
Although the website ranked Martin higher than anyone else, it was not far from its prediction regarding the adaptable and industrious Mississippi native who led FAU to the Final Four before transferring to UF in 2024. There, he immediately instilled a new defensive mindset that was essential to the team’s 36-win season and third national championship.
With an average of 14.4 points per game, 4.5 rebounds per game, 56 steals overall, and the capacity to manage the most difficult defensive assignment on the perimeter, Martin was second only to Clayton.
More length and better shooting abilities are provided by the 6-foot-4, 206-pound Richard, who made 201 3-pointers in his three seasons at UF. With 69 steals, he also leads the Gators.
However, Richard did not often appear in any mock drafts, suggesting that he would probably be an undrafted free agent. Rather, he will travel to Golden State, where he will get the opportunity to play alongside NBA great Steph Curry and coach Steve Kerr, who have won four titles since 2015.
You can contact Edgar Thompson at [email protected].
