Florida Gators sophomore forward Omar Payne has entered the transfer portal in search of “a new opportunity” to continue his college career, he announced Tuesday via social media.
Payne was a consensus top-50 recruit in the high school class of 2019, and part of a heralded Florida recruiting class that also included top-10 recruit Scottie Lewis and top-25 recruit Tre Mann. And while his athleticism, length, and instincts as a shot-blocker stood out early in his Florida career, his offensive game’s limitations were clear early and often — even on his rare explosive nights, as in a 19-point performance on nine-for-nine shooting against Auburn in January 2020, Payne did nearly all of his damage within feet of the basket.