Mar. 27, 2024 15:04 PM EST

Florida's Riley Kugel, A Preseason All-Sec Selection, Is Leaving The Gators And Transferring

Florida guard Riley Kugel (2) walks off the court after a first-round college basketball game against Colorado in the NCAA Tournament, Friday, March 22, 2024, in Indianapolis. Colorado won 102-100. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) Michael Conroy, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Florida guard Riley Kugel (2) walks off the court after a first-round college basketball game against Colorado in the NCAA Tournament, Friday, March 22, 2024, in Indianapolis. Colorado won 102-100. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Georgia guard Noah Thomasson (3) drives against Florida guard Riley Kugel (2) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Southeastern Conference tournament Thursday, March 14, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
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GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Florida guard Riley Kugel, who was benched for two games during the Southeastern Conference Tournament, is transferring.

Kugel announced his intention to enter the NCAA transfer portal on social media Wednesday.

“It's been fun and I appreciate everyone who has supported me through thick and thin,” Kugel wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter. “I will always be thankful for the bond I have built with my teammates in my freshman and sophomore years.”

A preseason all-SEC selection, Kugel averaged 9.2 points and 3.5 rebounds as a sophomore this season. The Orlando native averaged 9.9 points as a freshman.

But he was so solid down the stretch last season — he averaged 17.3 points over Florida's final 10 games — that he considered turning pro. He ended up returning to Florida with hopes of being the team's go-to scorer.

Instead, he often looked lost on the court and disengaged on the bench. TV cameras caught him brushing off teammates and coaches. Coach Todd Golden had him coming off the bench by the end of December and playing fewer and fewer minutes the deeper the Gators got into the season. He eventually ended up out of the mix and clearly out of favor.

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AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll

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