Former Florida Gators' starting point guard Tyree Appleby is transferring to Wake Forest as a graduate transfer .
Seeing considerable time as a starter in his two full seasons with the Gators, Appleby was an integral part of the success the team realized during that period, albeit limited.
He started in 44 of his 59 appearances at the University of Florida as the team's primary ball-handler. Occupying the one-guard spot for a majority of his minutes, Appleby averaged 11.1 points, 3.5 assists, 2.1 rebounds and 1.2 steals per contest.
However, he coupled his positives as a scorer and facilitator with negatives as a defender and decision-maker. His 2.7 turnovers per game marked a glaring inefficiency in his game that became even more troubling when Todd Golden stepped in as head coach at UF.
Being one of the six (seven if including Keyontae Johnson, who hasn't seen action since early 2020-21) players to depart from the program following last season, Appleby leaves behind a legacy of inconsistent explosiveness in the Florida backcourt.
Since transferring in from Cleveland State 2019-20 season (a year in which he redshirted), Appleby has shown a propensity to catch fire from beyond the arc and finish around the bucket. His dynamic skillset resulted in a plethora of electric moments in orange and blue, most notably a game-winning buzzer-beater to take down Ohio State in November 2021 and a 26-point performance to take down No. 2 Auburn in February 2022.
As he enters his fifth-and-final year of collegiate eligibility with the Demon Deacons, the 6-foot-1, 170-pound ball handler will look to continue building on the success he has seen while growing more consistent and under control from a ball security perspective.
He will get an opportunity to do that in Steve Forbes' system next season.
Florida has been in the mix for transfer guard prospects this offseason. The Gators' options include Mississippi State's Shakeel Moore and San Francisco's Khalil Shabazz to replace the hole of talent and depth Appleby left behind.
Former VMI guard Trey Bonham is slated to take over the starting position next season with Myreon Jones — a natural two-guard who can suffice at the one — and true freshman Denzel Aberdeen backing him up.
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