Florida Gators Lands 7’2″ Exavier Wilson โ Is She the Missing Piece to Their National Championship Dreams?
The Florida Gators womenโs basketball program just made one of the biggest splashes of the offseason, landing 7-foot-2 center Exavier Wilson โ a player many analysts are already calling a program-changer. Wilson, a dominant force on both ends of the court, has the potential to immediately elevate the Gators from a tournament team to a legitimate national championship contender. But how much of an impact can she really make, and is she truly the missing piece Florida needs to fulfill their title ambitions?
A Rare Talent at an Unprecedented Size
First, it’s important to understand just how rare a prospect like Exavier Wilson is. At 7’2″, sheโs not only the tallest player in collegiate women’s basketball but also one of the most skilled bigs the game has seen in recent memory. Wilson possesses an astonishing wingspan, elite shot-blocking instincts, and soft touch around the rim. Her high school career was filled with video game-like stat lines โ triple-doubles consisting of points, rebounds, and blocks were almost routine.
But Wilson isnโt just tall; sheโs mobile. Despite her size, she runs the floor with surprising agility, can switch onto smaller players defensively, and has shown flashes of extending her shooting range beyond the paint. Simply put, sheโs a unicorn โ and players like her donโt come around often.
Immediate Impact Potential
The Gators finished last season strong, but it was clear they lacked a true interior presence, especially against the top teams. Rebounding battles were often lost, and protecting the rim became a major issue when facing aggressive driving guards. Wilson changes all of that overnight.
On offense, she provides an easy outlet. Floridaโs guards now have a towering target in the post, which will demand double-teams and open up the floor for shooters. On defense, her presence alone will alter countless shots, discourage drives to the basket, and allow the perimeter defenders to take more risks knowing they have elite rim protection behind them.
Moreover, Wilsonโs arrival means Floridaโs style of play can be more versatile. They can slow the game down and grind opponents out in the half-court, or they can speed up and trust Wilson to clean up in transition. Few teams will have a matchup answer for her, creating instant mismatches every time she steps onto the court.
Cultural Fit and Development
One question that always comes with high-profile recruits is: will they fit the culture? By all accounts, Wilson is as much of a locker-room asset as she is an on-court one. Coaches and teammates who’ve worked with her describe Wilson as a “gentle giant” โ hardworking, humble, and extremely coachable. She embraces the grind, craves competition, and, importantly, doesnโt demand the spotlight.
Florida head coach Kelly Rae Finley is known for player development, especially with bigs, and sheโs already laid out a personalized plan to help Wilson refine her game โ focusing on footwork, free-throw shooting, and developing a face-up game to become truly unstoppable.
If Wilson buys into that plan โ and early indications suggest she has โ the sky is the limit.
Championship Window Wide Open
With Wilson now anchoring the paint, the Gators’ ceiling has skyrocketed. Pair her with returning stars like point guard Jazmine Smith and sharpshooter Aaliyah Monroe, and you suddenly have a lineup that’s both offensively dynamic and defensively suffocating.
This move also solidifies Floridaโs status among the elite programs heading into the 2025 season. Preseason projections had the Gators hovering around a Sweet 16 spot, but with Wilson, experts are already bumping them into Final Four conversations โ and rightly so.
Still, national championships arenโt won on paper. Chemistry, health, and experience all play major roles, especially in March. Wilson, for all her talent, will still need time to adjust to the speed and physicality of college ball. There will be learning moments, especially against seasoned, smaller bigs who know how to manipulate positioning.
However, if she develops steadily and Floridaโs guards continue to play at a high level, the Gators are not just a threat โ they could become the team to beat.
Final Thoughts
Exavier Wilson isnโt just another good recruit; sheโs potentially a generational one. Florida has been knocking on the door of greatness for the last few years, and with Wilson now in Gainesville, they may finally have the key to unlock a national title.
The Gator Nation should be buzzing โ because the dream of hoisting that championship trophy just got a whole lot move real
