LEXINGTON, KY - FEBRUARY 25: Malik Monk #5 of the Kentucky Wildcats shoots the ball during the game against the Florida Gators at Rupp Arena on February 25, 2017 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Final Four contender set to get back one of its most important players for next season

They were hoping to hear this.

Florida is expected to be get even better this coming season even after going to the Elite Eight in the 2016-17 season and losing some key players. While the Gators will be without forward Devin Robinson (NBA Draft) and point guard Kasey Hill (graduation). They will be getting back rising senior center John Egbunu though as he's made his decision to stay official:

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Egbunu will be recovering from an ACL tear he suffered in February for most of the year. But that was a better option than trying to go pro and convince teams he will be fine. He will get the opportunity to show teams his knee is fine and that he's improved his game in the couple of months he will be available to the team.

The fort will have to be held down by returners Kevarrius Hayes, Keith Stone, Dontay Bassett, Gorjok Gak and freshmen Chase Johnson and Isaiah Stokes until Egbunu's projected return for January. That would be right near the beginning of conference play and hopefully the 6'11", 255-pound big man can give the Gators a different and advantageous look by then.

He averaged 7.8 points, 1.4 blocks and 6.5 rebounds while shooting 49.6 percent from the floor. He did all that pretty much despite the fact that the team almost never looked for him in the post and the offense never ran through him.