One conversation may have helped change Denzel Aberdeen’s future, as Florida forward Alex Condon played an important role in reconnecting the former Gators guard with head coach Todd Golden ahead of the 2026-27 college basketball season.
After spending the 2025-26 campaign with the Kentucky Wildcats, Aberdeen is pursuing an additional year of college eligibility that could allow him to return to Florida and finish his college career where it began.
Although his departure from Florida last offseason was not entirely smooth, his relationships with former teammates remained strong. Condon’s involvement helped reopen the door to a reunion that could strengthen the Gators’ backcourt.
Alex Condon Helped Make the Reunion Possible
Aberdeen spent his first three college seasons at Florida before transferring to Kentucky. Despite joining a rival program, he maintained close relationships with several former teammates.
Those connections remained intact throughout the season, even when Kentucky faced Florida twice during the 2025-26 campaign.
Eventually, Aberdeen expressed interest in returning to Gainesville for a potential fifth season. Condon revealed that their conversation helped set the reunion in motion.
“He was like, ‘Oh, I’d really love it if Coach would take me back for my fifth year of college,’” Condon explained.
The Florida forward subsequently approached Golden with the idea, helping reconnect the guard with his former coach.
“I told Coach that, and he was pretty keen on the idea,” Condon added.
That conversation helped bring the two sides back into contact, creating an opportunity for Aberdeen to return to the program.
Why Aberdeen Could Be Important for Florida
Florida already possesses an impressive group of players, including Condon, Thomas Haugh and Rueben Chinyelu. All three earned Preseason All-SEC recognition, making the Gators an intriguing contender heading into the new season.
However, Aberdeen could provide an important boost to their backcourt.
His season at Kentucky allowed him to take on a larger offensive role, improve his production and gain valuable experience playing under different circumstances.
According to his former teammates, Aberdeen also improved his composure, ball control and ability to get into favorable scoring positions.
Those developments could help Florida establish a more balanced offense while allowing its talented frontcourt players to operate effectively.
Eligibility Remains the Key Question
Despite the excitement surrounding his potential return, Aberdeen still needs approval for an additional season of college eligibility.
Golden has expressed confidence that the guard will receive clearance, and that optimism has encouraged his former teammates.
Chinyelu also welcomed the prospect of Aberdeen returning, describing him as part of Florida’s brotherhood.
If approved, Aberdeen could reunite with familiar teammates and bring valuable experience to a team hoping to compete for the SEC championship and make another deep NCAA Tournament run.
Ultimately, Condon’s intervention helped reopen a door that once appeared uncertain. Now, Florida awaits the eligibility decision that could make this reunion official.
