NCAA Men: Gorjok Gak ruled ineligible for 2016/17 season

Promising Florida Gators recruit Gorjok Gak has been ruled ineligible for the 2016/17 season. The 6'11 Australian-born forward will be allowed to practice and take part in basketball-related activities, but not in any games during his freshman year.

Gorjok Gak | Credit: Florida Gators Athletics

The NCAA determination is a blow for the talented big man who has been starring for Victory Rock. Gak averaged 13.8 point and 9.3 rebounds last season.

Victory Rock head coach Loren Jackson has stated that the eligibility issue was related to Gak playing games in his postgraduate year.

“Following his graduate year from Australia, he was supposed to play from December to December but instead played from December until the following May,” Jackson said.

In speaking with the Gainsville Sun, Jackson further suggested there may be a chance Florida will be able to petition the NCAA to get the year of eligibility back. Gak who was not expected to play significant minutes in his first season with the Gators, will now continue to work on adding muscle bulk to his athletic frame to best prepare for the 2017/18 season.

Gak had chosen to play for the Gator's after backing out of his original verbal commitment to Oklahoma State following the termination of head coach Travis Ford. Gak’s recruitment had generated a lot of interest and offers, with the talented big-man narrowing his selection down to the Gators and Arizona State.

Gak's unfortunate eligibility issues are a timely reminder for Australian's with ambition of playing college basketball of the requirements that they need to accommodate.