Inside the International Recruiting Focus for Golden, Gators

In the ever-expanding world of basketball, the international impact on the sport is unmistakable. With international players dominating the NBA — the league’s Most Valuable Player in each of the past five seasons was born outside of the United States — and every team boasting at least one player from overseas, the global influence on the league is at an all-time high.

The same is true in college basketball. Florida men’s basketball coach Todd Golden is taking a page out of the NBA’s playbook by expanding his recruiting efforts to find international gems to build out the Gators’ roster.

There are four players on this year’s roster who were born outside of the U.S., including new freshman arrivals from Australia (Alex Condon) and Lithuania (Kajus Kublickas). Senior forward Tyrese Samuel, a transfer from Seton Hall, originally hails from Canada. They joined Golden’s first international recruit at UF: Aleks Szymczyk, a 6-foot-10 sophomore center from Frankfurt, Germany.

For Golden, there is a clear reasoning behind the increase in interest from international players, as well as his focus on finding talent overseas.

“They’re more interested [in playing college basketball in the U.S.] simply because they’ve seen guys come over and have success,” Golden said at SEC Media Days in November. “It has been going on for a while but now you’re starting to see more guys coming over and having really good careers that [prepare] them for the opportunity to play in the NBA.

“[International prospects] are coming over to play basketball, go to class and do the best they can to prepare themselves to become pros. You have guys who are really focused and have a great understanding of why they are coming over. When you put those things together, it explains a lot.”

Samuel, who arrived at UF in April after playing four seasons with the Pirates, was a two-time All-Canada selection at Orangeville Prep in Ontario in 2017-18 and 2018-19.  The Montréal, Quebec, native is off a strong start in his senior season; he’s currently the Gators’ second-leading scorer (averaging 14.3 points per game) and top rebounder (8.8 rebounds).  

Condon, meanwhile, is also making a significant impact in his first season playing college basketball. The 6-11 freshman center from Perth, Australia, has proven invaluable to Florida. He leads the team in blocks and is third in rebounds (6.8) heading into SEC play. Condon, who originally played Australian Rules Football, trained at the Basketball Australia’s Centre of Excellence-NBA Global Academy, a program that also produced Andrew Bogut, Luc Longley and Patty Mills.

Golden’s strategic focus on international recruiting highlights the program’s global vision and provides the team with diverse perspectives and talents to create growth within the team. Additionally, the second-year UF coach has been able to fill out the Gators’ roster by finding some under-the-radar prospects from Europe. 

This is how Szymczyk and Kublickas found their way to Gainesville.

Scouting Szymczyk

Szymczyk was identified by the Florida coaching staff because of his close relationship with his strength and conditioning coach, Patrick Taubert, who had a mutual connection with Golden.

In June 2022, Szymczyk was sitting in a barbershop getting a haircut when he saw a text on his phone’s screen. It was Golden introducing himself, inquiring if he had time to speak. After his haircut, Szymczyk immediately called Golden, and they talked for nearly 20 minutes. As the conversation ended, Golden asked how quickly Szymczyk could get to Gainesville.

Szymczyk was there the following weekend.

He immediately went to work on his first day in Gainesville. The coaching staff had him doing drills while the players watched him on the sidelines.

“It was just me by myself with [UF assistant] coach [Carlin] Hartman,” Szymczyk said. “I was so locked in; I think I hit 19 out of 25 threes.” 

He worked out again the following day. After practice, Golden invited Szymczyk and his parents to his office. Golden looked him in the eye and asked one question: “Do you want to come here?”

“Yes, sir. I’m committing,” replied Szymczyk. Everyone started clapping. His parents were ecstatic and emotional.

“They were so proud of me,” Szymczyk said. “I’ve never seen them that proud.” 

Szymczyk flew back to Germany to graduate and started his journey in Gainesville at the beginning of August.

Developing as a Player

An avid soccer lover, Szymczyk played the sport for about 10 years before he picked up a basketball. He started playing at 15 when his neighbor began to coach for a local team. The coach encouraged Szymczyk – who was then already 6-6 – to try the sport.

“I was really bad,” Szymczyk said. “That gave me motivation to stay on it and work my tail off.” 

Szymczyk began to take his training to the next level when he joined one of Germany’s top basketball academies, IBAM, which has produced successful Division I and professional athletes. His time in the academy was vital to his growth both as a player and person.

“It really taught me a lot of lessons on and off the court,” Szymczyk said. “I would say even more off the court to be responsible and everything.”

The biggest challenge he’s experienced? Getting accustomed to the playing style. He noticed in American college basketball there is more emphasis on the offensive side of the ball, while in Germany, there was a lot more focus on defense.

Nonetheless, Szymczyk has embraced being part of Gator Nation, taking advantage of what the program offers, and most importantly, buying into Golden’s system.

As a freshman, with Gators forward Colin Castleton out with an injury, Szymczyk started to get more playing time. During his 14 games, he shot 39.3% from the field, averaging 2.1 points and 1.3 rebounds per game.

Though Szymczyk has missed the first two months of the 2023-24 season with a broken foot, he knows there is more work to be done.

“I am never satisfied. That’s my mindset,” said Szymczyk, who aims to return for SEC play in January. ”I’m just trying to work my way up every day. I want to establish myself as a player. Getting consistent minutes. Becoming part of our offense. Getting awards like all-SEC honors. Helping the University of Florida. Maybe the national title. You never know. I think we can do it.”

From Lithuania to Gainesville

Another player who believes in Golden’s vision is Kublickas, a freshman guard from Kaunas, Lithuania.

Kublickas’ basketball journey began when he was 4 years old. When his father put up a small rim to a door—a moment that sparked a lifelong love affair with the game. By the time he was 7, Kublickas was enrolled in a basketball program. Around this time, he was unexpectedly invited to the respected Arvydas Sabonis Basketball School, which completely changed his trajectory. 

He continued to take basketball seriously. This led him to play for one of Lithuania’s most successful basketball teams, BC Zalgiris Kaunus, as well as Lithuania’s Under-18 national team. While playing for Zalgiris Kaunas II of the Lithuanian League last season, the 6-1 guard averaged 8.9 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.3 assists over 21 games while shooting 37.7% from 3-point range.

This prepared him for an unexpected transatlantic transfer to the University of Florida.

A Leap of Faith

Kublickas’ recruiting process differed from most, as before his commitment, he had never stepped foot on campus and only met with Florida coaches via Zoom. But when he looked up the rich history of Florida Gators basketball, he realized it was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up.

“I heard a lot of good things about this school and its history,” Kublickas said. ”The teammates, obviously, the coaches, I like the staff and the environment. I like the opportunities. It’s everything you need to be the best version of yourself.”

Following his commitment in June, he ended up seeing the campus for the first time and meeting everyone during a whirlwind 12-hour visit. He needed to come to Gainesville to take the SAT – required for his admission to UF. 

Since arriving, Kublickas acknowledges the adjustments required in transitioning from Lithuanian team play to the more individual-focused American training style. Relentlessly, he accepts the complexity of the playing style in the States. He also realizes he must improve his defensive skills to maximize his potential.

Kublickas faced challenges adapting to the cultural differences between Lithuania and the Swamp, integrating American culture and English proficiency. As he navigates through these challenges, Kublickas remains unfazed and focused on his goals.

As a freshman, Kublickas has appeared in six games, scoring five points in a total of 30 minutes as he continues to work on his development.

A Big Part of the Plan

Kublickas’ and Szymczyk’s journey extends beyond the transition from Europe to UF; it serves as a testament to the universal appeal of basketball, a language that transcends borders. 

They both confront new challenges and immerse themselves in a new culture. Meanwhile, their stories inspire those daring to dream beyond their hometown courts.

“International players have done really well in our programs. We obviously added a couple more this year,” Golden said. “It’s a space that we’ll continue to recruit really hard as long as we’re at Florida.”