When Florida landed Princeton point guard Xaivian Lee, he was seen as a replacement for Walter Clayton who had a similar ability to create space and hit tough jumpers, though he added more traditional point guard chops when it came to ball handling and passing. Immediately, he was penciled in as the starting point guard.
Then, the Gators made another huge splash bringing in Arkansas’ Boogie Fland–who is a true point guard.
Entering the 2024-25 season, there were questions surrounding the fact that the Gators didn’t have a true point guard on the roster. Now, after winning a National Championship–the Gators have two.
This brought on the discussion of what the chemistry would look like between the two–who would bring the ball up, who would be more of a decision maker, and who would end more possessions with the ball in their hands.
Just a few days into official practice, Todd Golden confirmed there wasn’t going to be a “true” point guard, particularly off of misses, but that in dead ball scenarios it would be Fland bringing the ball up. So, if you are looking for traditional labels, you could probably pencil in Fland as the more “true” point guard in a lineup that sees both him and Lee on the floor together.
The discussion of what roles these two players will play has largely been due to their different offensive skills–Lee is much more of a scorer, who is wired to try to break down a defender and force help to create pass out opportunities, whereas Fland is someone who is looking to give up the ball earlier in actions. Lee is the much better shooter off the dribble, and Fland is a much better shooter off the catch.
While there is still discussion about how the pair will be used on the offensive side, not enough has been made about the defensive side–and that might very well be where the decision was made to keep Fland as the more traditional point guard. When it comes to modern basketball, the role of the point guard is not just to be a hub offensively, but it’s also to be disruptive on the other end. There are two sides to the coin of the point guard being such an important role–if it’s important offensively, that means it is equally as important to have someone who can guard that position effectively.
This is where Fland really separates himself.
As much as Fland had a lot of hype as an incoming freshman to Arkansas due to his flashy highlights and offensive play, his one season in college basketball so far saw him perform much better on the defensive side where he was one of the best on-ball defenders in the country. Constantly hounding opposing guards with his quick feet and timely hands, he became a very difficult player to play against.
Lee, on the other hand, is someone that struggled in a lot of matchups in the Ivy League, and while he is making it a focus to be prepared for a higher level of defensive play in the SEC–Fland is far ahead in this area. The defense, and keeping Fland matched up on point guards, could be as big a reason as any that he’s getting penciled in for point guard abilities.
According to analytics tool Synergy, Fland was in the 95th percentile in terms of points per possession allowed as a primary defender. He was particularly good in pick and rolls where he would pressure the ball and knock ball handlers off their line as they tried to use the screen, also giving Fland the opportunity to avoid the contact and get back in front. With the ball screen being such an important part of basketball, having a point guard that can navigate these plays successfully is massive, and the Gators have one of the best in the country at doing this in Fland. He also loved blowing up dribble handoffs and digging down as a help defender, all elements that made him an even more impactful defender. Fland isn’t someone who gambles a ton for steals, and he is limited a bit by not being all that long, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t impactful or disruptive–he just accomplishes his defensive roles by being fundamentally sound and extremely quick.
The proof is also in the pudding when you look back at Arkansas’ defense. Opponents only had an 88.2 adjusted offensive rating with Fland on the floor, which was 4.4 points better than with Fland on the bench. This increase of 4.4 points of efficiency was the second most impactful on the Arkansas roster, and something that speaks to Fland’s impact.
In addition to the numbers, Fland’s defense is already the talk around Florida’s team, staff, and the media that has seen practice. Thomas Haugh recently referred to Fland as one of the best on-ball defenders he has ever played with, and that is just the first in a long line of compliments Fland’s defense has received.
Last year the Gators were known most for their explosive offense, but this year’s team could have more of a defensive approach, and that tone is going to be set by Boogie Fland. While his offensive numbers might not end up being gigantic, his abilities on the defensive end are something to watch for as we enter the 2025-26 season.