Alex Condon: Navigating Criticism and Contributing to Florida's Basketball Success
Alex Condon, a 6-foot-11 forward from Perth, Australia, has been a significant contributor to the Florida Gators basketball team. Despite facing criticism at times, Condon's dedication, versatility, and winning mentality have made him a valuable asset to the program. This article explores the criticisms leveled against Condon, his coach's defense of his abilities, and his overall impact on the Gators' success, including their recent national championship victory.
Condon's Collegiate Career at Florida
Condon has spent all three years of his career with the Gators. He opted to return to UF this season after receiving significant interest from the NBA draft despite a lower leg injury derailing part of his season in UF’s national title run. Since making his first career start in the 2024 NCAA tournament, he has been in the Gators’ starting lineup 64 times.
During a timeout in the second half of a game against South Carolina on Feb. 17, Florida basketball took a moment to recognize Alex Condon. Condon had just picked up his 1,000th career point in Florida’s eventual 76-62 win against South Carolina on Feb. 17, making him the 58th player to achieve the mark in the program’s history. Entering the game, Condon had 988 points and scored his 13th point of the night at the 17:27 mark. “I think during the timeout, when it happened, they put it up on the screen, I saw it,” Condon said. “It was cool to get that recognition a little bit.”
However, Condon admitted he didn’t spend much time thinking about it, rather his mind had been focused elsewhere. "I think it’s really important we just stay focused on the main goal this year, running it back, and yeah, that's all I can think about right now,” Condon said after recording a double-double of 20 points and 10 rebounds. “Coach really insists on not being complacent this game. It’s not just another game. Tuesday night, it’s easy, me and Boogie (Fland) were talking about it, it’s almost like a trap game. A team coming in here, who I think is better than what people make them out to be. We just got to attack it, that’s what championship teams do every night. Come out with the same mentality and keep rolling.”
Addressing the Criticism
Despite his contributions, Condon has faced criticism. Florida coach Todd Golden defended Condon, emphasizing his overall value to the team. "He’s a damn good player,” Golden said last week in response to criticism of Condon. “There’s very few guys in America that you take over him." Golden highlights Condon's positive attitude and defensive efforts, stating, "When something doesn’t go perfect for him, he’s not pouting. He’s not blaming others. He’s competing his ass off on the defensive end and doing everything he can to prevent the other team from scoring.”
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Golden further emphasized Condon's well-rounded game, pointing out that he is one of a select few players in the nation averaging impressive statistics in multiple categories. “Condo is one of those guys that people want to poke and prod at, but the guy is on the right side of winning most every night,” Golden said. “He deserves a lot of credit for that. He’s one of three guys in America, at least as of last week, that’s averaging 14 points, eight rebounds and four assists per game. One of them is Cam Boozer.
Condon's Strengths and Impact
This season, Condon has averaged 13.6 points, 8.1 rebounds and 3.56 assists per game while also leading the team with 35 blocks. Condon's versatility is a key aspect of his game. He contributes in scoring, rebounding, assists, and defense, making him a well-rounded player who impacts the game in multiple ways.
Condon's ability to drive to the basket and avoid settling for outside shots has also been a point of emphasis. After a game against Alabama, Condon mentioned advice he received from Coach Hartman: “‘The 3-point shot is just not falling, but don’t worry about it. Don’t let it affect what you do well." In that game, he tied his season-high of 25 points while attempting just one shot from beyond the arc.
NCAA Championship Game Performance
In the 2025 NCAA title game against Houston, Alex Condon's performance was notably impacted by Houston's defensive strategies. According to reports, Condon appeared nervous in both Final Four games, and Houston's ability to rotate and recover quickly disrupted his rhythm. He traveled three times in the game.
Florida's Victory over Houston
Despite Condon's struggles in the championship game, Florida secured a 65-63 victory over Houston, claiming their first national championship since 2007 and their third overall. While Houston led for a significant portion of the game, with a lead as large as 12 points, Florida mounted a comeback in the second half. The Cougars had an opportunity to tie or take the lead with 19.7 seconds remaining but were unable to get a shot off during their final possession.
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Will Richard led Florida's offense, scoring 18 points, including four 3-pointers in the first half. Richard's performance was crucial, especially with Walter Clayton Jr., the Gators' leading scorer, struggling and scoring only 11 points on 3 of 10 shooting.
The game was marked by shooting struggles for both teams, particularly from beyond the arc. Early in the game, both Florida and Houston missed their first 12 three-point attempts combined. However, Will Richard eventually broke the cold streak with two consecutive three-pointers, helping Florida regain momentum.
Turnovers were also a significant factor in the game. Florida, which ranked 75th nationally in turnover rate, committed an uncharacteristically high number of turnovers in the first 12 minutes.
Houston's offensive rebounding was a key aspect of their game plan, but they struggled to prevent Florida's bigs from getting down the floor after misses.
Team Dynamics and Key Players
Several players contributed to Florida's success throughout the tournament. Walter Clayton Jr., despite his shooting struggles in the final game, was a key scorer for the Gators. Will Richard's timely shooting in the championship game proved crucial.
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Boogie Fland's defensive efforts, particularly his ability to force turnovers, were also noteworthy. In a game against Alabama, Fland tied a program record with eight steals.
Urban Klavžar's scoring off the bench provided a boost for the Gators. Klavžar recorded double-digit scoring efforts in seven of his last eight outings which was very important for the team.
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