Breaking: Gators are closing in on a deal to sign $9.7 million super star

Florida already has some talented guards in place with the expected return of Walter Clayton and the commitment from FAU transfer Alijah Martin, but they aren’t finished at that position. Both Clayton and Martin are players that are better as off ball guards and while both are looking to get point guard reps, the Gators’ coaching staff is trying to bring in a proven ball handler to help lead the way.

Right now a possibility is Michigan State’s AJ Hoggard who recently released his final five schools with the Gators making the cut. This might be a familiar name to anyone who likes to follow high school recruiting as the Gators were heavily involved with recruiting Hoggard back in the class of 2020, though he ended up choosing Michigan State where he played four seasons. Through his first three seasons there was steady improvement, but as a senior he wasn’t able to make the step to star and he’s now looking for a new opportunity to make that leap.

Last season Hoggard averaged 10.7 points, 5.2 assists, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.4 steals while only turning the ball over 1.8 times per game.

When it comes to point guards–Hoggard is about as pure as it gets. While he has some ability to get downhill and finish at the rim, Hoggard is a pass-first point guard who is constantly looking to get his teammates involved. You can see why Florida sees him as a nice compliment to Walter Clayton, a pure scorer when attacking off ball reversals, and to Alijah Martin–someone best in catch and shoot scenarios. Hoggard was 30th in the country in assist rate while being a very low turnover player, something that makes him a reliable ball handler that isn’t going to get himself into trouble. Possessing great size at 6’4” and 210 pounds, Hoggard is a beast at the point guard position who can get into the paint in pick and roll and keep defenders on his hip while he surveys the defense and decides where to deliver the ball.

While he’s a solid pick and roll ball handler, where Hoggard is best is in transition. It was Hoggard’s excellence in transition that initially led him to choose the up-tempo Michigan State Spartans over the Gators who were at the time a slow, methodical half court team, and the decision has allowed him to regularly showcase his abilities on the run. Hoggard can secure a defensive rebound on his own and immediately push, always keeping his head up and using his peripheral vision to see where shooters relocate to. He’s also a bowling ball going downhill at such a fast pace with his massive frame and if defenders start swiping at the ball he’s strong enough to take contact while finishing and he gets his fair share of and-1s.

The concern with Hoggard and the reason he hasn’t become an All-League calibre player is a lack of shooting. He’s a career 30% three-point shooter on just 1.5 attempts per game, and opponents are always happy to sag off him to take away the paint while daring him to take jump shots. He’s also not always the most efficient scorer inside the arc shooting 43% from two, and his touch at the rim can often fail him. His lack of scoring instincts has come up in some unfortunate moments throughout his career such as the NCAA Tournament this year when he was 0-8 from two in a loss to North Carolina that had local media suggesting a mutual parting of ways would be the best for both the player and the Spartans.

In a lot of ways the situation at Florida would make sense for Hoggard and you can see why Florida’s staff would see a fit. He wouldn’t need to be a primary scorer in the backcourt, and he could focus on being a fast break point guard pushing the pace for a team that wants to thrive in transition.

 

Hoggard’s final schools include Florida, Georgia, Vanderbilt, USC, and Washington. Mike White loved Hoggard in high school and they have a previous relationship, and Georgia could be a team to watch out for here.