Column: Florida Guard Zyon Pullin Hitting His Stride at the Perfect Time

Simply put, Pullin was an all-around prospect. One who displayed the potential to elevate the Florida team to the heights it hoped to reach in year two of the program rebuild.

Now, fewer than four months later, he's proving such in live-game action.

Pullin is elevating Florida to pose a legitimate threat to national championship-contending programs. He's spearheading the Gators' quest for a return to the NCAA Tournament, averaging 14.1 points, 3.5 rebounds and five assists per game in his 10 appearances.

And luckily for Golden and Co., with the Southeastern Conference opener against Kentucky on the horizon, Pullin is operating at an uber-high level.

He's finding his full form at a perfect time.

Likewise, so is Florida.

Pullin's absence for the first three contests of the Gators' 2023-24 campaign — due to a suspension handed down by the NCAA for his participation in the Portsmouth Invitational when he explored his professional options — was noticeable.

"We definitely missed him for the first few games of the season," Golden said on Thursday. 

Florida's narrow loss to Virginia in game two is the best example, as two-guard Walter Clayton Jr. — working out of position at the one as the Gators waited for Pullin's return — turned the ball over twice in the final minute to allow the Cavaliers to seal the deal on a win.

The presence of a steady hand handling the basketball late in the matchup proved to be detrimental in the Gators' 73-70 loss.

However, in game four against Florida State, Pullin was injected into the lineup. His presence immediately made a difference as the Gators cruised to produce a statement victory over their in-state foe, the Seminoles.

He performed efficiently in his first seven outings after the suspension, posting 12.7 points and five assists on average to align as the team's purest point guard and clear-cut top assist man. That's not to mention his oft-overlooked defensive contribution.

Excelling as a facilitator with impressive court vision while also presenting a go-to ball-handling figure with the knack to play at his own pace, he's provided stability to the Gators' attack. It's helped five UF players — Walter Clayton Jr., Riley Kugel, Will Richard, Tyrese Samuel, and Pullin himself — average double-digit points through 13 games, with all four scoring over 20 points in a contest this season.

However, his deference to other capable talent sometimes limited his impact as a scorer, a critical factor in Florida's pursuit of him this past offseason.

He's found himself in that regard in the last three games. 

Pullin broke out of his shell against Michigan in the Jumpman Invitation in Charlotte, N.C. — in the exact location as Florida's loss to Virginia.

Dropping 22 points, five assists and just one turnover on the night, Pullin's outing was highlighted by several vital buckets, including an end-of-first-half half-court buzzer beater and a game-tying three as time winded down in the first overtime period.

His success willed the Gators to the 106-101 victory despite overall low energy from Golden's group.

Amid the bout with the Wolverines, Pullin found the medium of taking control as a scorer while still making smart decisions with the basketball.

Most prominently, Pullin's ability to attack the basket and get to the free-throw line significantly aided Florida in the double-overtime win.

The game served as a microcosm for his ensuing performances.

He's a true three-level scorer who posted a 39% mark from downtown in 2022-23, but his prowess shooting beyond the arc doesn't define his game. He's attempted just 21 throughout the current campaign, connecting on nine for an average of 43%.

Instead, Pullin has relied more prominently on his midrange shooting and finishing at the basket. He flashed the former in his aforementioned breakout game against Michigan, where he knocked down two crucial fadeaway baseline jumpers from 15-to-18 feet and displayed a patent floater down the stretch of the second half.

He maintained that form against Grambling State and Quinnipiac to close the non-conference slate, earning more praise from his head coach. 

"He's just a stud, man," Golden said candidly following Pullin's 14-point, six-assist, zero-turnover night in Florida's blowout win over Grambling State. "He's an absolute stud. Veteran. Leader. Plays his tail off every day. Wants to take the best perimeter player on the other team. Doesn't wear down. Doesn't fatigue. Never gets selfish. He's just a great point guard to have. He makes everybody better."

Pullin's 17.3 points and five assists — progressing to a total of 50 assists to just 13 turnovers on the year — per game in the last three appearances helps illustrate Golden's synopsis.

"We're awfully happy to have him here now," he concluded his statement by saying.

As they should be.

Pullin's uptick in production paid dividends for the Gators squad en route to finishing the month of December with a 6-0 record and posting a 10-3 mark throughout the non-conference slate.

Florida hopes the fifth-year guard will maintain his elite play from a scoring, facilitating, ball security and defensive standpoint with the heightened competition the SEC brings. Doing so would put the Gators in a firm position to compete for a comfortable berth into March Madness.

There, if history is any indication, anything is possible once they reach the Big Dance, especially with a deep backcourt like UF's.