Catching Up With Former Gator Patric Young

Many remember Patric Young as the star center that helped Florida’s men’s basketball team in 2014 to a Final Four appearance and a perfect SEC record. Now that a few years have passed since Young graduated from UF he still has a lot going on, despite suffering a rough injury this past season overseas. Young is currently under contract with Greek team, Olympiacos.

Last November, his team had a game in Turkey and he hurt his knee the first several minutes of the game. The injury occurred when Young was playing on defense. Another player ran around him to go for a rebound, the other player’s knee went into Young’s upper calf and pushed Young’s knee completely in, therefore tearing his ACL and meniscus.

Right now Young is back on U.S soil about about eight months out of surgery. He’s trying to get his strength back and rehabbing to get back to his old ways. Young is aware the with the injury comes a lot of healing as well as mental challenges to be healthy again.

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With the new Mike White Era in Gator basketball beginning last season, Young thinks that Coach White is the man for the job. Despite them not making the tournament last season and the minor mistakes such as shooting and results against top teams which Young acknowledges, he hopes that fans will have faith in White to turn the program around.

One thing Young is doing to keep himself busy is a golf tournament in Gainesville, the first annual Patric Young Charity Golf Classic.  The event goes towards a good cause, which is the organization “Stop Children’s Cancer.”  The Jacksonville native has worked with the organization before, but wanted to help the group even more by giving back with his own golf tournament.

Young’s tournament is set for August 6 with an 8:30 a.m. tee-off at the Ironwood Golf Course in Gainesville.

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