Ex Hoya Macklin to Florida

[BucNut]

Fox Sports

Wow, this one caught me by surprise! GREAT pickup by the Gators!

	Quote:
	Florida coach Billy Donovan has added ex-Georgetown big man Vernon Macklin. The 6-foot-9, 230-pound sophomore was a former high school star and McDonald's All-American that didn't log a ton of playing time while backing up Roy Hibbert at Georgetown. Macklin averaged 3.4 points and 2.1 rebounds in 12.8 minutes per game. He scored a season-high 18 points against St. John's in late January. "It's a great decision because it gives Vernon a chance to sit out and work on some things," said Macklin's former prep school coach, Kevin Keatts, of Hargrave Military Academy. "He's learned a lot in the last two years under John (Thompson III), but going to Florida will give him a chance to re-charge his battery a little bit." Macklin made the decision during a Friday visit to Gainesville. Even though Hibbert graduated, Macklin saw the writing on the wall with the fact that the consensus No. 1 freshman in the country, Greg Monroe, is set to arrive on campus soon. The ultra-athletic Macklin, who is expected to arrive in Gainesville soon for summer school classes, could fit into Donovan's up-tempo system. He will have to sit out this season before becoming eligible in the 2009-10 campaign.