Johnell Davis and Alijah Martin are withdrawing from the 2023 NBA Draft to return to the Florida Atlantic Owls next season.
Both Davis and Martin were FAU’s best scorers last season, averaging 13.8 and 13.4 points per game, respectively. These two studs were a huge reason the Owls made an improbable run to the Final Four, shocking the country.
Head coach Dusty May will now have high expectations as FAU expects to be even better than last year. Minus Michael Forrest, who graduated, the Owls return their entire roster, including Davis and Martin.
Davis and Martin were both sophomores last year, so expect both to take a huge leap. With more experience under their belt and a whole offseason of work, Davis and Martin will continue to put the country on notice next year.
FAU went 35-4 last year in Conference USA, shocking the world by making the March Madness tournament. But making the tournament was not close to enough, as the Owls went on to win in the Round of 64, Round of 32, Sweet 16, and the Elite Eight. FAU was one shot away from making the national title game, but a crazy game-winning shot by San Diego State ended those aspirations.
The Owls will be in a new conference this year, joining the AAC (American Athletic Conference). This will put FAU in front of a larger audience, but most importantly, FAU will face tougher competition, including Memphis, who lost to the Owls in the Round of 64.
In addition to Davis and Martin, FAU will return two more sophomores in Vlad Goldin and Giancarlo Rosado. Goldin and Rosado had a huge presence in the paint last year for the Owls, but expect these two big men to become even stronger and more of a threat in the paint. If Goldin and Rosado can develop a jumper, FAU will be even more lethal.
Despite losing Forrest, who is FAU’s all-time three-point shooting leader, the Owls will still be a dominant force from downtown next year.
Nicholas Boyd, who hit a game-winning shot against Memphis in the Round of 64, was just a freshman last year. The guard shot 40 percent from the three-point line, making 68 shots from deep.
Bryan Greenlee is another lethal shooter from deep; he will be a senior this year. Greenlee also shot 40 percent from deep, cashing in on 55 threes.
Joining Greenlee as a senior will be Jalen Gaffney and Brandon Weatherspoon, who are also lights out from deep. If you haven’t figured it out by now, FAU is a strong three-point shooting team, even with the loss of Forrest.
In terms of making a name for themselves, expect Tre Caroll to have an expanded role this season. Last year as a freshman, Caroll saw little playing time, checking in for only 18 games, averaging just 5.7 minutes per game.
Caroll is one heck of a shooter for someone who is 6-foot-7. The Florida-born forward shot 54.5 percent from deep and 64.1 percent from the field.
Brenen Lorient, standing at 6-foot-9, should also have an expanded role next season, adding some size to the Owls.
So, Owls fans, how are you feeling heading into next season?
High expectations, the return of Davis and Martin, a new conference. The excitement is sky-high in Boca Raton.
PHOTO CREDITS: Christian Proscia
