UF Men’s Basketball: Mann Declares for NBA Draft
Courtesy of University Athletic Association
BY DENVER PARLER
Guard Tre Mann has declared for the NBA Draft following his All-SEC sophomore season, he announced Wednesday in a statement posted on his social media account.
Mann led the Gators with 16.0 points per game and 83 assists this season and was the second-leading rebounder (5.6 per game), earning first-team all-conference honors from the league’s coaches, second-team from the AP, and NABC All-District recognition.
The Gainesville native elevated his game down the stretch of Florida’s 2020-21 campaign, averaging 20.9 points over his final seven appearances. His four straight games of 20+ points matched the longest such streak by a Gator over the past 25 years (Nick Calathes, Matt Walsh).
He exploded for 30 points vs. Tennessee in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals, including 28 in the second half, becoming the third Gator to post a 30-point game at the event (Anthony Roberson, Kenyan Weaks). The performance came on the heels of a box score-stuffing win vs. Vanderbilt, posting 22 points, seven rebounds, and six assists, the first player with such a line in the SEC Tournament since Texas A&M’s Alex Caruso in 2014.
Mann earned SEC Player of the Week honors on March 1, after leading the Gators to a pair of SEC road wins at Auburn and Kentucky. He became the only Gator over the past 50 years to lead Florida in scoring and rebounds in back-to-back wins with both games on the road. His 19 points and 13 rebounds at Auburn marked his only double-double as a Gator, while he scored 11 of the Gators’ final 20 points to close out the win at Rupp Arena, finishing with 21.
The 6-foot-5 combo guard persevered after entering UF as a McDonald’s All-American in 2019 and averaging 5.3 points as a freshman. In boosting his scoring average by 10.7 points per game to this season’s 16.0, Mann matched Joakim Noah for the largest single-season scoring increase by a Gator over the past 25 years.
Tre Mann Statement:
“First and foremost, I’d like to acknowledge God, without you none of this would be possible,” Mann said. “Thank you to my family for always providing me with love and support. No words can ever describe how grateful I am to you.
“I’d like to thank Coach White and his staff at the University of Florida, for believing in me and helping to shape me into the man and player I am today. Thank you to all my teammates who shared the Gator uniform with me for the last two seasons.
“After much consideration, I have decided to take the next step in my basketball career and will declare for the 2021 NBA Draft.
“To Gator Nation, your love and support will always hold a special place in my heart.”