Guard Ray Shipman will leave the Gators, the school announced today. Shipman's father told the Gainesville Sun last night that his son was planning on leaving. Shipman averaged 12.4 minutes and 2.7 points per game. He scored in double digits only once this season; 10 points against Michigan State. In his final game against BYU, Shipman played 11 minutes, registering 2 rebounds and a steal.
Shipman could not crack the lineup of the emerging Kenny Boynton and human turnover machine Erving Walker. The Palm Beach Post's Ben Volin guestimates that Shipman will try to go closer to home and play at Miami. The move also gives the Gators only two true guards. UF does have Rod Tishman, but he wasn't too excited about being in Gainesville. (Tishman is from Israel, he should be a more badass dude than anyone else on the team.) The Orlando Sentinel's Jeremy Fowler adds up another number to find that Shipman will make the 13th transfer since 2003-04.
For 2010, the only guard UF has targeted is Ray McCallum of Detroit, now that Brandon Knight is out. Billy Donovan may have to scramble to pick up another guard to provide much needed depth. The 2011 class has three guards; Bradley Beal (St. Louis), Austin Rivers (Winter Park; possibly considering Duke) and De'Ante Saunders (Deland).