Walker returning to UF for sophomore season

Published on Wednesday, 4/9/14, at 6:15 p.m. Eastern.

By Brian Edwards

The biggest question facing the 2014-2015 Florida basketball team got its answer Wednesday when freshman center Chris Walker announced that he will return for his sophomore campaign. ESPN.com’s NBA Draft Guru Chad Ford had Walker listed as the No. 29 player on his updated Big Board earlier today.

This is a mature decision by Walker, who has had a great attitude since stepping on campus in Gainesville in December. The Holmes Co. High School product embraced his role, albeit a small one, in helping the Gators get to the Final Four for the first time since 2007.

With an entire offseason working with Billy Donovan’s strength and conditioning program, Walker will be a much different player next year. In fact, don’t be surprised if he’s a preseason All-American.

With Walker, Florida is a lock to be a preseason Top 10 team and might break into the top-five. Without him, the Gators were probably a fringe Top-15 squad.

So coming off the disappointment of Saturday’s loss to UConn in the national semifinals, UF fans should be elated to receive this great news.