…Rueben Chinyelu eyes 2026 NBA draft with performance
Florida Gators center Rueben Chinyelu has been named Naismith Player of the Week following his dominant performances in back-to-back wins over South Carolina and Alabama in the NCAA Southeastern Conference.
Chinyelu has emerged as one of the most consistent performers in college basketball this season, regularly posting double-doubles for the Gators.
The Nigerian-born former NBA Africa Academy standout recorded 14 points and 11 rebounds in the victory over South Carolina, before delivering an even stronger showing against Alabama with 14 points and 17 rebounds.
The 22-year-old has now tallied 13 double-doubles this season, the most in the SEC and the sixth-highest single-season total in Florida program history. His impressive run of form also earned him SEC Player of the Week honors in January.
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Widely regarded as one of the NCAA’s premier defensive players, Chinyelu has also made significant strides offensively this season, becoming a more reliable scoring presence in the paint.
Chinyelu is expected to enter the 2026 NBA Draft after withdrawing from the 2025 class to further develop his game at the collegiate level.
His standout performances have already placed him on the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Watch List, underlining his growing reputation as one of the top two-way big men in college basketball.
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