The Florida Gators pulled off a dramatic 65–63 comeback win over Houston in the 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball National Championship on April 7, marking their first title since 2007 and third in school history. They erased a 12-point deficit, led by Final Four Most Outstanding Player Walter Clayton Jr. Coach Todd Golden, just days later, signed a six-year, \$40.5 million extension—now one of college basketball’s highest-paying coaches ([en.wikipedia.org][1]).
Their return to campus was delayed by nearly two hours, arriving to a frenzy of cheering fans—an apt metaphor for the Gators’ “come-from-behind” tournament run ([manisteenews.com][2]).
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## Off-Court Drama: NIL Lawsuit
Former Gators recruit Jaden Rashada fumed as a federal judge recently allowed his lawsuit alleging fraud by Coach Billy Napier and a booster over a collapsed \$13.85 million NIL deal to proceed in part. Rashada claims he was promised \$1 million for his father and was misled into switching commitments ([reuters.com][3]).
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## Return to Campus Beware-Run
Florida’s baseball team kept proving resilient: after another rocky SEC start, they clawed back to make the NCAA Tournament. Meanwhile, center Rueben Chinyelu announced his return to the Gators for next season, withdrawing from the NBA draft—he’s the only returning starter from last year’s championship roster ([floridagators.com][4]).
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### Summary
* **Biggest headline:** Men’s basketball national title, comeback story, coach’s new mega-deal.
* **Legal battle:** Rashada’s fraud lawsuit will proceed.
* **Other sports:** Baseball’s rebound and key basketball roster updates.
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