GAINESVILLE — Florida shooting guard Xaivian Lee arrived from Princeton with a multi-million dollar sneaker deal, big shoes to fill and facing a considerable step up in competition.
Lee stumbled early, but has since found his footing to become his team’s leading scorer five of the past seven games. The 6-foot-4, 180-pound Canadian now stands as perhaps the No. 22 Gators (8-4) most important and improved player entering conference play Saturday night at Missouri (10-3).
“He’s come a long way, just being comfortable, being consistent,” coach Todd Golden said. “He’s showing the player we knew he was capable of being when we got him. I’m happy for him. I’m happy for us. It’s given us a big lift.
“Now he’s got to do it in SEC play.”
Lee still has room to grow and areas to address.
Despite Golden’s efforts in the transfer portal, Florida’s backcourt has lagged behind while shouldering the Herculean task of replacing the legendary, national championship-winning trio of Walter Clayton Jr., Alijah Martin and Will Richard.
“They won it all, so it’s not the easiest thing in the world,” Lee said. “But it’s a new year. We’re trying not to recreate. We’re trying to do something ourselves.”
Lee and Co. hope to rise to the occasion during the Gators’ title defense.
A more traditional point guard than Clayton, Arkansas transfer Boogie Fland organizes the offense and excels as an on-ball defender, but has had limited impact offensively. Lee hasn’t provided the outside shooting and defensive tenacity of Martin or Richards. Ohio University transfer AJ Brown of Orlando is on track to redshirt after offseason shoulder surgery.
Although they are one of the nation’s top rebounding teams, led by bruising center Rueben Chinyelu and frenetic power forward Alex Condon, the Gators are still shooting a Power Four-worst 28.15% from 3-point range — including 25.3% for Lee and 22.2% for Fland.
“Our margin of error is a little thinner with the 3-point shooting percentage,” Golden said. “But we’re big. We’re athletic. We put pressure on the glass on both ends of the floor. If we can shoot it a little bit better, we can be pretty dang good.”
Early on, Lee became the face of Florida’s 3-point woes during Golden’s quest to find a shotmaker even in the same universe as Clayton. Lee was 7-of-42 from long range (17%) before a 4-of-9 effort in a loss to TCU. Lee finally got on track three games later, shooting 4-of-7 from 3-point range against George Washington.
“It’s the player that we expected when we when we brought him in,” Golden said a few days after the 80-70 win in Sunrise. “I made a joke with him at practice. I said, ‘No, turning back. Now you’ve arrived.’ It’s time to keep this up for the rest of the year.”
Lee’s 3-point shooting remains a work in progress, but other aspects of his game are on point a season after he averaged 16.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.5 assists at Princeton to earn All-Ivy League first-team honors for the second time. He leads the Gators with 45 assists — against just 18 turnovers — and averages 4.6 rebounds, best among Florida guards by a 2-to-1 ratio.
“I’ve usually been a scorer, shooter my career,” he said. “When that’s not going too well for me, I try and make sure I’m trying to impact the game however I can. I feel like I’m a winner first, no matter what it is.”
Lee is at his best in the open court, where his athletic ability shined during a 19-point, six-rebound, five-assist, zero-turnover night during a narrow loss Dec. 9 against No. 5 UConn. In New York City’s Madison Garden, Lee showcased the creativity developed on the playgrounds of Toronto amid the pandemic.
COVID’s spread shut down the Canadian AAU circuit for around 15 months. A shoulder injury had begun to shift Lee’s focus from baseball, but a growth spurt coupled by daily pickup games amid the pandemic spurred his basketball future.
“I would bike to the park and would play pickup in the park every day,” he recalled. “That’s where my play style comes from, and just my love of the game. That’s kind of where my story started.”
Lee’s journey led him to the Perkiomen School in New Oxford, Pa., during the fall of 2021 where future Florida teammate Tommy Haugh also played. Lee left for Princeton after one season.
The academic rigors of the Ivy League and basketball became a high-wire juggling act requiring time management and moral support. It helped that roommate Caden Pierce was a fellow economics major, but Lee’s self-reliance and diligence were tested.
“It’s a great education — the degree’s amazing,” he said. “But it was equally as challenging. Being a Princeton basketball player, you don’t get any (extra) help, in terms of the school. You get the help that the class provides, which is valid. But it’s a lot harder when you’re practicing every day.
“We were really in there by ourselves.”
But Lee’s parents, both lawyers in Toronto, instilled the value of education. Athletics were his own thing.
Three seasons at Princeton and a wave of Canadian success in hoops, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Andrew Wiggins and former Gator Andrew Nembhard, eventually made Lee a top transfer target in America and marketable back back home.
Lee signed a multi-year deal with international footwear brand Serious Player Only to become the first NCAA athlete with an international shoe endorsement and earn him a reported $6 million in total NIL earnings.
“They believe in me, and I believe in their product,” Lee said. “They want to be one of next big name in the shoe space and apparel game.”
Lee has been taking orders, especially SPO’s DryLite Training Pants and socks, since Haugh helped lure his former teammate to Gainesville to help rebuild Florida’s backcourt.
A dozen pairs of pants arrived during the fall for his fellow Gators.
“They all ask for the baggy pants,” he joked.
Lee now has a chance to win over the fan base.
A few more 3-pointers, some clutch shot-making a la Clayton and more playmaking in the open court should put the 21-year-old on solid footing.
Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com
