Gators enjoying success in NBA

One of the marvels of the Billy Donovan era at Florida has been his ability to not just coach players to college success, but develop them for the next level.

Entering the 2014-15 season, 12 former Gators are on NBA rosters. Of the 12, four are among the 44 highest paid players in the NBA. David Lee remains the highest-paid former Gator at $15.01 million (21st highest paid overall), followed by Dallas Mavericks forward Chandler Parons (29th, $14,7 million), Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah (37th, $12.7 million) and Atlanta Hawks center Al Horford (44th, $12 million).

Parsons signed a three-year, $46 million deal with the Dallas Mavericks as a restricted free agent, the latest Florida player to sign a mega-deal second contract. Lee and Parsons stayed at UF for four years, while Noah and Horford stayed with the Gators for three years. All stayed in school long enough to develop their games and mature, showing that it’s not always wise to chase NBA riches immediately.

In total, the 12 former Gators in the NBA are making close to $80 million. Here’s a rundown of the former Gators in the NBA and their salaries:

David Lee, Golden State Warriors, forward/center — $15.01 million

Chandler Parsons, Dallas Mavericks, forward — $14.7 million

Joakim Noah, Chicago Bulls, center — $12.7 million

Al Horford, Atlanta Hawks, center — $12 million

Corey Brewer, Minnesota Timberwolves, forward — $4.7 million

Bradley Beal, Washington Wizards, guard — $4.5 million

Marreese Speights, Golden State Warriors, center — $3.66 million

Udonis Haslem, Miami Heat, forward — $2.73 million

Mike Miller, Cleveland Cavaliers, forward — $2.73 million

Matt Bonner, San Antonio Spurs, forward — $915,000

Nick Calathes, Memphis Grizzlies, point guard — $816,472

Patric Young, New Orleans Pelicans, center — $507,336

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