On Monday afternoon, Florida announced that Scottie Wilbekin would be suspended indefinitely for a violation of team rules.
No further details about the reason for the suspension were made available, but it is concerning as it’s the second time that Wilbekin has been suspended. He missed the first three games of last season as well.
Wilbekin is an important piece for the Gators. The 6-foot-2 rising senior started at the point last season and averaged 9.1 points and 5.0 assists while also playing the role of the team’s best perimeter defender. With Kenny Boynton graduating and Braxton Ogbueze transferring out of the program, Florida doesn’t have a ton of depth in their back court. Incoming freshman Kasey Hill is expected to make an immediate impact, but he and Michael Frazier are really the only other guards on the roster capable of playing major minutes for a contender.
Rutgers transfer Eli Carter is also entering the program this season, but it’s unclear if he’ll be able to get a waiver to play immediately.
It will be interesting to see how long this suspension lasts for Wilbekin and if it affects any actual game-time. The season doesn’t start for another five months, which is a long time for a senior leader to be suspended.
This offseason has not been an easy one down in Gainesville, as Patric Young and Will Yeguete have both undergone surgeries and Chris Walker is still waiting to be deemed eligible.
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