GAINESVILLE — The Florida men’s basketball team added 6-foot-11 center Serbian Viktor Mikic to bolster an inside game without 7-foot-1 center Micah Handlogten and replacing veteran Tyrese Samuel.
A source confirmed a 247Sports report Mikic would join the Gators after playing last season at Chattanooga (Tenn.) Hamilton Heights High School.
Mikic averaged 14.3 points, 10.2 rebounds and 1.3 blocks during his only high school season in the United States. UF secured his services over Bowling Green, Chattanooga, Hawaii, Rutgers and Valparaiso, per 247Sports.
Mikic will join a front court sophomore post players Alex Condon Jr. and Thomas Haugh, who combined to average 11.2 points and 10.1 rebounds, including 7.7 and 6.4 by the 6-foot-11, 230-pound Condon, an an SEC All-Freshman honoree.
Speaking about point guard Denzel Aberdeen earlier this week, Golden told the Orlando Sentinel, “We’re kind of betting on him, Condo and Tommy making a big jump — and I think all three of them will.”
Golden also signed 6-foot-11 Washington State transfer Rueben Chinyelu and 6-foot-9 Chattanooga transfer Sam Alexis, a native of Apopka.
Chinyelu averaged 4.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 35 appearances, including 12 starts last season. He is pushing for a starting spot as a sophomore at UF. Alexis averaged 10.8 points and 9.1 rebounds, shot 55% and blocked 70 shots to earn a spot on the Southern Conference All-Defense team in 2023-24.
Samuel and former point guard Zyon Pullin both agreed to NBA deals following the NBA Draft.
Pullin inked a two-way contract with the Miami Heat and Samuel an Exhibit 10 contract with the Phoenix Suns.
Pullin set a Florida record with a 3.77 assist-to-turnover ratio and averaged 15.5 points after he transferred from UC Riverside. Samuel averaged 13.9 points and a team-leading 7.4 rebounds while posting 11 double-doubles, second the SEC, after he transferred from Seton Hall.
Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com