Alex Condon: Insider shares “thrilled” Todd Golden’s honest take as Alex Condon returns to Florida

Alex Condon is returning to Florida, and Todd Golden is all about it. On Tuesday, ESPN NBA draft analyst Jonathan Givony announced on X that the big man will withdraw from the 2025 NBA draft.

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ESPN writer Pete Thamel shared the Florida coach's thoughts on the star's return.

"Todd Golden says he's "thrilled" that Condon is returning to the Gators," Thamel tweeted. "Said he had a great process, with a lot of good feedback. 'Fortunately, he's positioned himself nicely.'"

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Condon expressed similar excitement about returning to Golden's squad.

"It's a really good situation waiting for me there," Condon said, according to ESPN. "A great coach with Todd Golden. Teammates I won a national championship with. I have great chemistry with those boys. We have a good transfer class coming in. I expect guys to make a leap. My big man coach, Carlin Hartman, is returning, so I will keep developing my game with him."

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The Australian forward was the No. 38 prospect in ESPN's draft projections, but is returning to Florida with a clear purpose in mind. Condon wants to lead his team to a second consecutive national title, a feat the Gators last achieved in 2006 and 2007.

"It's a hard thing to do, winning back-to-back," Condon said. "We're not taking it lightly. We need to get together as a team. Get back to Gainesville, share in some hardship through hard work in the summer, and get used to playing with each other. Part of the reason we were so good last season was we got used to playing with each other for two years. We need to continue that. When guys have your back, that's what makes a great team."

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Alex Condon's sophomore season at Florida

After serving as a role player off the bench as a freshman, Alex Condon emerged as a starter for Florida in his sophomore campaign. The 6-foot-11 forward made 35 starts for the Gators last season, averaging 24.9 minutes.

Condon led Florida in rebounds (7.5) and blocks (1.3). He added 10.6 points, 2.2 assists and 0.9 steals per game while shooting 49.3% from the field.

Condon helped lead Florida to a top seed in the NCAA Tournament and the team's first national title in nearly 20 years. Now, he will return for his junior season to hone his skill set further and continue to lead the Gators to greatness.

About the author

Lindsey Ware is a college sports journalist at Sportskeeda with over five years of experience working with publications such as The News & Observer, The Daily Tar Heel, Triangle Tribune and Cardiac Cane. She has also worked for Major League Baseball, The Holly Springs Salamanders, The Tri-City Chili Peppers, Tuffy Talk, Super Meteors Basketball, Just Good Network and Living Sport.

Lindsey has a Bachelor’s Degree in Media and Journalism from UNC Chapel Hill. Her education allowed Lindsey to gain experience in sports communication, which she honed in internships. Other than being a storyteller and sports fanatic, Lindsey is also a social media and marketing specialist.

Her favorite college team is UNC, although she grew up a N.C. State fan as both of her parents are Wolfpack alumni. Michael Jordan was a huge deal in North Carolina when Lindsey was growing up, and after a summer spent at UNC’s Sports Journalism Camp back in high school, Lindsey was set on being a Tar Heel.

Lindsey's favorite college coach of all time is Roy Williams. During her time attending UNC Chapel Hill and writing for The Daily Tar Heel, Lindsey was lucky enough to meet and speak with Williams a few times. He was like a celebrity on UNC’s campus and was beloved for his coaching style and success with the Tar Heels, accumulating three NCAA championship titles in 18 years.

When not watching or writing about sports, Lindsey enjoys reading, trying new restaurants and coffee shops, and spending time with my friends, family and dog. She also likes to journal, watch movies and paint.

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Edited by Ribin Peter