Mike Ridaught
A pair of Florida basketball players were selected in last night’s NBA Draft.
The Oklahoma City Thunder selected Gator guard Tre Mann with the 18th pick in the first round, while the Charlotte Hornets grabbed Scottie Lewis in the second round with the 56th overall pick.
It marks the fifth time in program history that the Gators have had multiple players selected in the same draft. It’s the first time since 2011, when Chandler Parsons (38th/Rockets) and Vernon Macklin (52nd/Pistons) were both drafted.
Mann, a Gainesville native who starred at The Villages, became UF’s 12th first-round pick after he led the Gators with 16.0 points per game and earned All-SEC honors during his sophomore season.
He led The Villages to a spot in the FHSAA Class 5A state semifinals as a sophomore and as a senior. He was a McDonald’s All-American and rated No. 31 in the ESPN 100 rankings.
“We’re all just so excited for Tre,” Florida basketball coach Mike White said in a statement. “He has put in an incredible amount of work to get to this point, and his dedication, commitment and maturity have helped him reach this goal. He has earned this moment, and I couldn’t be happier for him.”
He becomes the first Gator to be taken in the first round of the NBA Draft since Bradley Beal was taken third overall by the Wizards in 2012.
Meanwhile, Lewis, who earned 2020 SEC All-Freshman honors, averaged 8.2 points and 3.4 rebounds in 51 appearances over his two seasons at Florida. He posted 18 double-digit scoring games.
Lewis, a 2019 McDonald’s All-American, was rated No. 9 in the ESPN 100 rankings coming out of high school.
“We’re so happy for Scottie to have this opportunity,” White said. “I know it’s a dream come true for him, and we will be cheering for him as he takes on this next step in his career.”
Mann and Lewis are also the fourth and fifth Gator, respectively, coached by White to reach the NBA, joining Dorian Finney-Smith, Chris Chiozza and Devin Robinson.