Gators' big man Rueben Chinyelu weighs NBA future as Florida eyes another title
GAINESVILLE - Florida standout center Rueben Chinyelu has a decision to make that will shape the future of Todd Golden’s Gators.
Chinyelu, the anchor of the nation’s top rebounding team in 2025-26, could return for his senior season and provide another key piece to a deep and talented roster featuring All-SEC forward Thomas Haugh and Alex Condon and an experienced backcourt led by point guard Boogie Fland.
Chinyelu declared for the NBA Draft in April, and then held his own during last week’s draft combine in Chicago. Now the 22-year-old will have to decide by May 27 where he’ll play next season.
“It just depends on where I’m going to be picked on the draft,” he told reporter Andy Katz. “I had this conversation when I was being interviewed by some of the teams. That’s something I’m going to weigh and ultimately decide if I want to stay in the draft or I want to go back to school.”
Chinyelu is generally considered a second-round prospect. Yahoo Sports now projects him to go with the 14th pick of the second round to San Antonio.
In Chicago, Chinyelu’s physical stature stood out.
The native of Nigeria measured at 6-foot-9¼ without shoes and 259 pounds. He recorded a combine-best hand length of 10 inches and wingspan of 7-feet-7½ inches, while his standing reach of 9-foot-3½ inches ranked fifth among the 78 prospects.
Recapping the combine, the No Ceilings Substack said Chinyelu and UConn big man Tarris Reed Jr. battled during one scrimmage. Chinyelu then posted 14 points and 15 rebounds but also “bobbled a number of passes and rebounds while struggling with his touch.”
Chinyelu had a 33-inch vertical leap, ranking 24th of 31 players in his category, according to 247Sports. He also finished 18th out of 32 participants in the three-quarter court sprint with a time 3.25 seconds. He was seventh in his group with a time of 2.85 seconds in the shuttle run.
Chinyelu fared respectably during shooting drills despite the need to expand his offensive repertoire and ability to score away from the basket. He was 18-of-30 shooting off the dribble - 14th out of 26 participants - and 11-of-25 on long-range attempts, or 19th in his group.
He did, however, finish last in the side-mid-side shooting drill, making just 6-of-22 attempts, 247Sports reported.
If Chinyelu rejoins the Gators, they would boast a frontcourt capable of fueling another national title run.
Chinyelu led all power-conference players with an average of 11.2 rebounds and set a school-record with 19 double-doubles. Named the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year, Chinyelu anchored a defense ranked sixth nationally, according to Ken Pomeroy’s metrics.
The 6-foot-9 Haugh and 6-foot-11 Condon were the Gators' top two scorers in 2025-26 and are among the SEC's more versatile players. Haugh averaged 17.1 points, recorded 13 20-point games and shot 46% from the field while averaging 6.1 rebounds. Condon averaged 15.1 points and 7.5 rebounds, while leading Florida with 48 blocked shots.
Chinyelu is excited by much more than once again being part of the Gators’ formidable inside trio.
Kentucky transfer Denzel Aberdeen returns to Florida after he transferred following the 2025 national championship season. He then averaged 13.5 points, 3.4 assists and 2.4 rebounds while shooting 43.3% from the field and 36.3% from 3-point range in his first year as as a full-time starter.
Fland is among the SEC’s best on-ball defenders, while SEC Sixth Man of the Year Urban Klavzar also returns.
Also back are Orlando brothers Isaiah Brown and AJ Brown, who redshirted last season after transferring from Ohio University. Shooting guard Alex Lloyd, a talented scorer from Miami, and athletic small forward CJ Ingram, two top-40 recruits in the 2025 class, also will return, despite veteran players ahead of them.
Golden then signed two European players with size and skill, 6-foot-10 forward Arturas Butajevas of Lithuania and 6-foot-9 Domen Petrovic of Slovenia.
With Florida’s nucleus returning, Chinleylu believes the Gators would have all the pieces in place if he comes back.
“We were going out there, and the mindset is to get it all,” he said. “If I go back, I’m not settling for less.”
Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com
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This story was originally published May 18, 2026 at 5:01 PM.