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COACH AND PROGRAM
MIKE MILLER (6-8, 218 lbs., SO, SF, #13, 12.2 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1.3 spg, 0.3 bpg, 24.2 minutes, .494 FG, .356 3PT, .702 FT, Mitchell HS/Mitchell, S.D.) When Miller signed with Florida nearly two years ago, a lot of coaches at high-major programs around the country weren't very happy with the decision. Roy Williams of Kansas went so far as to turn Florida in to the NCAA, claiming Donovan and his staff violated rules by visiting Miller during a non-contact period. Other coaches tried as hard as they could to convince Miller he shouldn't go to Florida. "What amazed me most were all the critics who said, "Don't go there,' when most of them didn't know the coaches and didn't know how hard they work or anything about the players coming in," Miller told the Orlando Sentinel. "They all went by won-loss records and tradition. Just to hear people say, 'Florida is never going to be any good,' that's the sort of thing that fired me up." Obviously. In Miller's freshman year, we saw why no other coach wanted Miller to go to Florida. He is nothing short of a difference-maker. He might not be the second coming of Larry Bird, but he plays a remarkably similar game, able to make players around him better from the forward position. Make that any position. A year ago, Miller played everywhere but center. Not that Donovan needs to play him at the point, but with his ballhandling skills, passing ability and court vision, Miller could run the show in a pinch. He was as good as advertised last season, showing a full range of skills. Despite nursing injuries to both ankles that forced him to the sidelines, Miller led the team in scoring, was second in rebounding, third in assists and fourth in steals. He had more-than-respectable shooting percentages, particularly for a freshman. Miller put together some impressive games. He reached double figures a team-leading 21 times. Imagine what Florida fans thought after his debut contest, in which he torched Georgia Southern for 25 points and 11 rebounds. Miller didn't just pick on patsies. In SEC games, he had 20 points against Kentucky, 15 points and 10 rebounds against Mississippi State, and 15 points and seven rebounds against Tennessee. In the postseason, he had 15 points against Arkansas in the SEC Tournament, 15 versus Pennsylvania in the first round of the NCAAs, and 10 points and 11 rebounds in the season-ending loss to Gonzaga. Miller did commit 69 turnovers, second on the team, but many of his errors were through aggression. A coach can live with those a little easier. "Mike went through an up-and-down year, with the two ankle injuries," Donovan said. "But he had some huge games for us when he was healthy. Mike's got an unbelievable feel of how to play. It's like having another point guard out there. He's probably the best passer on the team, and he's got great vision." Pleased as he was with Miller's season, Donovan also offered some constructive criticism. "Mike's got to get better inside the three-point line," Donovan said. "I'm talking about rebounding, posting up and slashing to the basket. He can't rely on any one weapon. He has to continue to develop ways to score. But he's very capable." Miller collected several awards when the season was finished. He was one of three Gators on the SEC All-Freshman team, the first time in history three players from one school were so honored. Miller was also a first-team freshman All-America pick by Basketball News and Sports Illustrated, and third-team All-SEC as selected by the coaches. KENYAN WEAKS (6-4, 198 lbs., SR, SG, #52, 11.3 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 1.7 apg, 2.5 spg, 0.4 bpg, 24.0 minutes, .463 FG, .381 3PT, .857 FT, Fork Union Military Academy, Va. & Concord HS/Concord, N.C.) Last season, Weaks missed the first seven games while sitting out a disciplinary suspension, and it took him until mid-February to regain his normally deadly shooting eye. Weaks broke out of his year-long slump with six three-point goals and 22 points against Georgia, then scored 18 points in each of his next two games against Arkansas and South Carolina, making 8-of-15 shots from behind the arc. Weaks was his old self the rest of the season, scoring in double figures in every game until Florida's loss to Gonzaga in the NCAA Tournament. His final stats were far removed from those of his sophomore year, but then again, Weaks' sub-par shooting season would be a great performance for a lot of other players. Weaks, a career 43 percent three-point shooter, has a chance to leave his mark on the Florida record book. He is already the fifth-best three-point shooter (percentage-wise) in school history. His 142 three-pointers rank third on the school's all-time list. His 329 three-point attempts are fifth. Weaks isn't a one-dimensional player. He is well-equipped with long arms and great leaping ability to be an excellent defender. Last year, Weaks was second in the SEC with his average of 2.5 spg. That tied a school record. Weaks led the league in steals in SEC games only. Weaks is Florida's only senior, but that alone won't make him a team leader. It's not his nature. "Kenyan's personality does not lend itself to be a leader," Donovan said. "He's always been a guy to just fit in. But he's also a hard worker. Kenyan can be a leader by example." UDONIS HASLEM (6-7, 260 lbs., SO, C, #50, 10.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 0.8 apg, 0.7 spg, 0.7 bpg, 21.3 minutes, .603 FG, .592 FT, Miami Senior HS/Miami, Fla.) In high school, Haslem faced constant double- and triple-teaming, which held his scoring average as a senior to a modest 14.2 ppg. He was the least heralded of a highly regarded Florida recruiting class. Freed to operate against single coverage as a college player, Haslem put his strong post moves and soft shooting touch to work, giving Florida the first inside threat in Donovan's tenure. Haslem worked hard to earn his place in the Gators' starting lineup. He dropped 25 pounds, decreasing his body fat from 15 percent to 9.8. The lean, mean Haslem was hard to handle. Setting a Florida freshman record in field-goal percentage, Haslem led the Gators in scoring four times and in rebounding 10 times. He reached double figures in points 17 times, with his season high of 26 points coming in a big homecourt win over Tennessee. DONNELL HARVEY (6-8, 215 lbs., FR, PF, #4, 23.3 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 3.5 bpg, Randolph-Clay HS/Shellman, Ga.) If Donovan and his staff sent shock waves across college basketball by signing Mike Miller the year before, the signing of Harvey was even more astounding. Harvey, considered by many recruiting services to be the No. 1 high school player in the country, was seemingly headed for Auburn until Florida reached out late in the spring signing period and grabbed him. The signing of Harvey was a major lift for a program on the rise. If the Gators had a weakness last season, it was rebounding. With as many shots as they launch, there are bound to be plenty of misses to be tracked down. But last season, the Gators were the second-poorest rebounding team in the SEC. Harvey should help take care of that little problem. "He's a guy [who] will give us something we've been lacking the past couple of years," Donovan said after Harvey signed. "Whether he's the best player in the country, who knows? But the one thing he is, he's the best rebounder in the country, and I don't think there's any question about that." Donovan's comments are ably supported by nearly everyone who has seen Harvey play. "Donnell's the type of kid who grabs the box score at the end of the game, sees he grabbed 10 rebounds and feels he didn't do his job," said Dave Telep of PrepStars. "He'll get tired of hearing this," said Alabama coach Mark Gottfried, "because he can't avoid it. Donnell Harvey is a cleaned-up version of Dennis Rodman, without the yellow hair. He goes up after the ball on the glass as well as anybody I've seen." Unlike Rodman, Harvey isn't a one-dimensional specialist. Respected post tutor Pete Newell saw that first-hand during his camp this summer. Harvey paid his own money to travel to Hawaii and hone his low-post skills with the master as well as several of his peers, including future SEC foes Jamaal Magloire and Jules Camara of Kentucky and Mamadou N'diaye of Auburn. "His defense is really quick," Newell told ESPN.com. "He's a lefthander who plays low and was harder than hell to beat. He went for every loose ball, diving for it, and we were just in drills. He developed a game with his right hand, too. And he's got range." Sounds scary. Harvey is well-equipped for his job. Though he's "only" 6-8, "he plays a lot taller than that," Donovan said. Harvey has a 90-inch arm span and is a quick leaper. And, as Newell described, he has that hunger for rebounds which just can't be taught. Harvey is a great rebounder because he can be, but more importantly because he wants to be. Harvey probably had to add another wing onto his home after last season, during which he scored tons of accolades and awards. He earned the 1999 Naismith and USA Today prep Player of the Year awards. He was a first-team Parade All-America and also a McDonald's All-America. He was Georgia's "Mr. Basketball." Harvey left Randolph Clay HS with records that won't fall for a long time. He is the school's leader in points (1,736), rebounds (1,334) and blocked shots (319). Last year, Harvey had single-game highs of 38 points and 27 rebounds. If he can grab a third that many boards every night for Florida, Donovan will be happy. "We're very, very fortunate to have signed Donnell," Donovan said. "When we looked at our needs, we felt we needed a frontcourt player who could really rebound and give us an offensive and defensive presence inside. Donnell does that as well as anybody in the country," BRETT NELSON (6-2, 170 lbs., FR, PG, #10, 31.9 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 7.0 apg, St. Albans HS/St. Albans, W.Va.) Donovan has learned to use every advantage in recruiting. Such was the case with Nelson, who attended Donovan's camps when the latter was coaching at Marshall. Nelson admired Donovan and his style of play, and when it came time to picking a college, the choice wasn't too difficult for this consensus Top 10 player. Like Jason Williams, another West Virginian who played point guard for the Gators, Nelson has uncanny quickness and court vision. He excels in the open court. Luckily for Donovan, who was disappointed when he had to run off Williams for repeated violations of team rules two years ago, Nelson is a solid citizen. Williams might have been undisciplined, but he was talented and eventually became an NBA lottery pick. Nelson could one day be picked that high, as well. Some recruiting analysts think he's the best prospect to come from West Virginia since Jerry West. That takes in some considerable ground. Nelson adds to Donovan's collection of Parade and McDonald's All-Americas. He richly deserved those honors. Last year, he scored 766 points, fourth all-time in West Virginia history behind West, Mark Workman and Hot Rod Hundley. Nelson made 86 three-pointers as a senior and holds the state record for career "threes" (265). Nelson was a consistent scorer, reaching double figures in 71 of 72 high school games. He had 32 30-point games and nine 40-point games. All this isn't to suggest Nelson is just a shooter. Far from it. Recruiting analysts considered him one of the top playmakers in his class. "We were very fortunate to get Brett Nelson," Donovan said. "He committed to us early, which I think was a big factor in attracting other talented players. Brett definitely has the ability to start." Nelson will battle another Parade All-America, Teddy Dupay, for playing time at the point. But it isn't unreasonable to suggest the two could play together.KEY RESERVES BRENT WRIGHT (6-8, 232 lbs., JR, F, #00, 8.2 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 1.4 apg, 1.2 spg, 0.5 bpg, 25.8 minutes, .472 FG, .463 3PT, .667 FT, Miami Senior HS/Miami, Fla.) With the emergence of freshman Mike Miller, Wright was moved from small forward to power forward. The switch worked to perfection while also showcasing Wright as one of Florida's most versatile players. On a team so inexperienced, Wright, hardly an old-timer with just two years behind him, nevertheless stands out. Unlike Kenyan Weaks, the team's only senior, Wright is an emotional leader who can give his teammates a lift. Wright can seemingly do everything. He was Florida's best rebounder and top frontcourt defender. He can play with his back to the basket in traditional, post-player fashion, or he can step out past the three-point line and hit with impressive regularity. Wright is also smart, which never hurts he made the SEC's Academic Honor Roll with a 3.18 GPA in sociology. Wright was consistent last season, during which he earned a team-high 30 starts. He led Florida in rebounding 13 times and in scoring four times. Thirteen times, he reached double figures in scoring, and he had two double-doubles. Wright had a career night against Florida State, scoring 20 points on 7-for-7 shooting. He also bagged his first career double-double with 14 points and 12 boards against Arkansas. Like Eddie Shannon, Wright had to overcome preseason health problems. After breaking a bone in his left foot, Wright was forced to miss all of the fall drills and conditioning. Once he was able, Wright quickly got himself back into game shape, much of the work done on his own time. Wright is no stranger to hard work. Between his freshman and sophomore seasons, he put in considerable weight-room time and added 15 pounds of muscle. Wright is one of Florida's MVPs, whether he starts or comes off the bench. With freshman Donnell Harvey and Wright teaming up at the power forward position, the Gators have that spot covered and then some. TEDDY DUPAY (5-10, 175 lbs., SO, G, #5, 11.0 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 2.8 apg, 1.5 spg, 22.5 minutes, .402 FG, .376 3PT, .810 FT, Mariner HS/Ft. Myers, Fla.) Seldom has one player been so perfectly suited to play for his coach. Like Donovan, Dupay is undersized, but he makes up for it with determination, competitive spirit and an uncanny knack for making big shots. Dupay was destined to go to Florida. In high school, he was coached by Tim Maloney, a long-time Donovan friend who is now on the Florida staff. After Maloney left Mariner HS, his place was taken by Frank Morris, Donovan's old high school coach from New York. Dupay was taught to think like Donovan, so it was only natural he ended up playing for him in college. Donovan recognizes the bond he has with Dupay. "I probably see a lot of myself in him," Donovan told the Independent Alligator, "from the standpoint of being undersized and not a great athlete that had to find ways to go out there on the floor and be successful. I feel a bond with Teddy on the floor when he's playing that he gets done what I want to get done. I can tell him certain things, and stuff has a way of getting done. He knows what I want done." Given the comparison to Donovan and his high school credentials (a state-record 3,744 career points), Dupay started his college career with a certain amount of expectations. He didn't disappoint. Dupay was the Gators' third-leading scorer, was second in assists and third in steals. His three-point percentage was second behind only Brent Wright, who didn't put the ball in the air nearly as often as Dupay (whose 170 three-point attempts were second on the team). Dupay led the Gators in free-throw percentage. "Teddy had a great freshman year," Donovan said. "He had some games [in which] he really looked good, and some games, like in the SEC Tournament, where he got overmatched. But he made some big plays for us." Dupay did have his moments, but none was bigger than his three-pointer against Weber State in a hard-fought NCAA Tournament victory. With Florida trailing, 66-64, with 58 seconds left, Dupay didn't hesitate for a second when he had a chance to launch a three-pointer. It went in for a 67-66 lead, and the Gators went on to the Sweet 16. Dupay began the year as a starter, but wound up coming off the bench for the last 24 games. He was effective in either role, which begs a question. With last year's starting point guard, Eddie Shannon, having departed, will Dupay assume the job? That would have been an easy question to answer had Donovan not recruited freshman Brett Nelson. Donovan said he would be disappointed if any of his veterans lost starting jobs to freshmen. Dupay, a member of the SEC All-Freshman team last year, will battle for the position. Whether he starts or comes off the bench, Dupay will give the same effort. And it's very possible he could be on the floor at the same time as Nelson. MAJOR PARKER (6-4, 218 lbs., JR, F, #25, 5.0 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1.3 apg, 0.8 spg, 0.6 bpg, 17.7 minutes, .455 FG, .290 3PT, .711 FT, Cardinal Gibbons HS/Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) Parker isn't a superstar by any means, but he's one of Florida's most valuable players. Why? He is a leader and a competitor. Last season, Parker shared Florida's Most Improved Player Award with Brent Wright. His improvement wasn't so much evident in his statistics as it was his maturity. "It's like night and day with him," Donovan told the Gainesville Sun. "Last year (1997-98), he had to prove to everyone he could make three-pointers. He just understands things much better. The biggest thing is his maturity and his understanding of who he is as a basketball player." Parker is one of Florida's few veterans. As such, he should have a steadying influence on his younger teammates. He performed the same service this summer on a team of SEC All-Stars which played a five-game series against the Japanese national team in Japan. Parker was the SEC's third-leading scorer (10.0 ppg) and shot a respectable .368 from three-point range and .778 from the free-throw line. Louisiana State coach John Brady, who along with Mississippi coach Rod Barnes, coached the SEC team, came away impressed. "He does a lot of things well," Brady said. "He scores when he needs to, but it's not important to him. He defends well, he's strong and he's very competitive. He doesn't like to lose." If Parker can instill those latter two qualities in his teammates, he will have done his job. LADARIUS HALTON (6-3, 195 lbs., SO, G, #23, 5.1 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 0.9 apg, 0.5 spg, 13.5 minutes, .381 FG, .333 3PT, .700 FT, New Smyrna HS/New Smyrna Beach, Fla.) Halton is a big-time scorer on a team filled with big-time scorers. Halton would be a star on most other teams in the SEC. At Florida, he'll have to battle for backcourt minutes with Teddy Dupay, Kenyan Weaks, Brett Nelson and freshman Justin Hamilton. Luckily for Halton, Donovan's up-tempo game requires a lot of players to be successful. Donovan keeps the pressure on for 40 minutes, which means he has to run fresh players in and out of the lineup. That's where Halton comes in. He is effective whether he starts or comes off the bench. Halton started the first 11 games of the season, in fact, the first seven in Kenyan Weaks' absence. His play more than justified his spot in the lineup. Halton began the year 18-for-32 (.563) from the field and 9-for-17 (.529) from three-point range. He averaged 13.0 ppg in November, notching a career-high 15 points against Bethune-Cookman. Halton had seven double-figure scoring games as a freshman. Halton isn't just a jump shooter. He has long arms and a 38-inch vertical leap, attributes that make him an acrobatic dunker and strong finisher on the break. He had surgery on his right knee last May and couldn't work out for six weeks. But he is expected back at full strength. Halton won't begin this season as a starter, but he should play as much or more than he did a year ago, when he averaged 13.5 minutes in 31 games.OTHER RETURNEES None.OTHER NEWCOMERS MATT BONNER (6-9, 225 lbs., FR, F, #15, 35.0 ppg, 14.0 rpg, Concord HS/Concord, N.H.) Bonner doesn't quite bring credentials like those of Donnell Harvey, but he was a decorated high school player, one of the most heralded in the history of his home state. Bonner has been compared favorably to recent Kentucky star Scott Padgett, which means he is equally adept scoring inside or past the three-point line. Bonner was a consensus Top 30 recruit in high school, and was ranked as high as eighth by some scouting services. Like Hamilton, Bonner scored a bundle of points in high school, 2,459 to be exact. He was the first player in New Hampshire Class L history to top 2,000 career points. Bonner led Concord to a 77-6 record and three straight state championships. Bonner has a chance to step into some immediate playing time. He has the skills to capably replace departed senior Greg Stolt, who also liked to do damage inside and out. Bonner, who scored 1300 on his SAT, is bright enough to catch on quickly to Donovan's system. Look for him to play a lot this season. JUSTIN HAMILTON (6-3, 180 lbs., FR, G, #12, 27.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg, Booker HS/Sarasota, Fla.) Just what Florida needed, another scoring machine. As if Donovan didn't have enough firepower, he added Hamilton, an in-state product who put together some impressive high school numbers. Hamilton, like fellow freshman Donnell Harvey, has physical attributes which make him effective at what he does. Hamilton has a 38-inch vertical leap, long arms and a great first step to the basket. That makes it hard for opponents to keep Hamilton in front of them. He's also a killer in transition. Hamilton scored more than 2,000 points in his career at Booker High, despite being limited to just 15 games last season because of a nagging leg injury. Still, he was chosen Florida's 4A Player of the Year and was third in balloting for the state's "Mr. Basketball" award. Hamilton, who was also recruited heavily by Florida State, Miami, North Carolina State and South Florida, might have to wait his turn, but he'll eventually be a major contributor at Florida.STARTERS NOT RETURNING EDDIE SHANNON (5-11, PG, 6.7 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 4.7 apg, 1.7 spg, 28.1 minutes, .500 FG, .345 3PT, .750 FT) Florida's heralded freshman class diverted some attention from Shannon last year. But his contributions were not overlooked by Donovan, who valued his senior co-captain for his leadership and steady, guiding hand on a team filled with so many youngsters. Shannon's final season began on an ominous note. An eye-injury suffered when in seventh grade had slowly been robbing him of his vision. Two days before the start of practice, Shannon had a prosthetic eye fitted. Shannon was dealt another blow, albeit hardly comparable, when he was suspended for Florida's first two games by the NCAA because he participated in an unsanctioned summer league. With special glasses shielding his left eye, Shannon played up to his standards, finishing as Florida's all-time leader in steals (204), the 10th-best mark in SEC history. The versatile guard finished in Florida's all-time top 20 in 19 statistics and in the top 10 in 10 categories. Shannon began the year on the bench, but he ended up starting the last 24 games. He was at his best late in the season. In the NCAA Tournament, Shannon had 18 assists and just three turnovers. Count the SEC Tournament, and Shannon had 31 assists and only eight turnovers in March. Shannon was awarded the Frontier Most Courageous Award after the season. Donovan thinks it was well-deserved. "Eddie went through a lot of adversity in his first three years at Florida," the coach said. "But the fourth year was good. Eddie Shannon showed our young players how to fight through adversity. In March, he was one of the guys who carried us."OTHERS NOT RETURNING GREG STOLT (6-9, F, 11.0 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 0.9 apg, 0.6 spg, 0.7 bpg, 23.8 minutes, .478 FG, .438 3PT, .667 FT) Here's what a team player Stolt was. After starting the previous two years, Stolt went to the bench for the good of the team. So committed was Stolt to his role as sixth man that he turned down a starting assignment on Senior Night. Like Shannon, Stolt stepped forward and played some of the best basketball of his career once March came around. Stolt started the Gators' last six games, and he led the team with an average of 16.0 ppg in that stretch. Stolt set a school NCAA Tournament scoring record with 26 points against Weber State in the second round. He finished his career as the school's all-time leader in three-pointers made (243) and attempted (578). He also led the SEC in three-point percentage. Stolt will be missed, but Donovan was wise enough to recruit a similar player in Matt Bonner. Like Stolt, Bonner is capable of scoring inside or past the three-point line. OBIORA NNAJI (6-11, C, 2.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 0.6 bpg, 10.0 minutes, .536 FG, .778 FT) Nnaji's minutes decreased as the season progressed. In the Gators' first 11 games, Nnaji played double-figure minutes nine times. In Florida's last 20 contests, Nnaji played more than 10 minutes only three times. He didn't play at all in the Gators' final three games, including all three NCAA Tournament contests. Nnaji was a capable backup center who could score when the need arose 17 points against Long Island last year and block a shot or two (16). But his contributions can be more than replaced.QUESTIONS Youth? Eight of the 11 players on Florida's roster are freshmen or sophomores. Size? The Gators aren't the tallest team around, but then again, a 7-0 center might slow down Florida's high-octane attack. Still, when the Gators face a mobile, high-scoring center, can they stop him? Rebounding? Florida was 11th in the conference in rebounds per game last year. This might be nitpicking, but if they set their minds to it like the time they outrebounded Auburn the Gators can get on the boards. Freshman Donnell Harvey might solve this problem all by himself.ANSWERS Billy Donovan! Donovan is the brightest and hardest-working young coach in the game. Shooting! Donovan likes to have four three-point shooters on the floor at all times. That's not a problem with this group. Depth! The Gators only have 11 players, but all of them are good. How many coaches go more than eight or nine players deep anyway?
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