Top Transfer Portal Star Confirms NBA Draft Decision After Commitment

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Matt Wadleigh | Last updated Apr 24, 2025 12:48 PM ET

The Florida Gators men's basketball team is fresh off an NCAA Tournament national title win over the Houston Cougars.

As such, a lot of players are leaving for the NBA and the transfer portal, with Walter Clayton Jr. being the biggest loss for Todd Golden's program.

In some good news, Florida landed Princeton star Xaivian Lee in the portal. The Gators beat out St. John's to land one of the top players in the portal, so it was a huge boost for a team that will have a lot of new faces next season.

Lee declared for the NBA Draft last year before withdrawing and returning to Princeton. This time, he was also planning to test the waters while entering the portal.

However, it seems Lee has changed his mind, as his agent told Jon Rothstein.

"Xaivian Lee will not test the 2025 NBA Draft process and shift his full focus towards the 2025-26 season with Florida, per his agent George S. Langberg of GSL Sports Group," Rothstein wrote.

In March, Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman had Lee going at No. 51 to the Indiana Pacers in his mock draft, so it makes sense for Lee to return for another year and boost his draft stock.

Lee averaged 17.1 points per game in 2023-24 and then 16.9 PPG this year, along with 6.1 rebounds and 5.5 assists, so he will immediately be a key part of the Florida rotation as the Gators try to make another run at a national title.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: