Former ruckman nabs biggest title in US college basketball with desperate final act

Giant 20-year-old Alex Condon has become the sixth Australian to win the US national college basketball championship, and the 211cm star had his hands all over a key moment in the final as the Florida Gators broke their title drought.

Who is Alex Condon and what did he do?

Raised in Perth, Condon is a former Australian rules ruckman, who represented Western Australia’s under-18s and had an offer to join Collingwood as a category B rookie, but is pursuing his basketball dream in the US. He is the son of East Perth WAFL premiership player Damien Condon and international swimmer Leah Broderick.

Florida were clinging to a narrow two-point lead as the final went down to the wire with the Houston Cougars in possession and trying to set up the winning shot. But Condon pounced on an error by Emanuel Sharp to end up with the ball in his hands as the final buzzer sounded to start the celebrations for Florida’s first title since 2007.

In the final play of the game, Cougar Emanuel Sharp leapt to make a three but Florida’s Walter Clayton Jr outstretched his arms and the Houston player let go of the ball.

Clayton Jr was unable to pick the ball up again, and otherwise he would have been guilty of a travel infringement. Condon realised the predicament and dived on the loose ball with about one second left.

Alex Condon celebrates after the Gators beat the Houston Cougars.Credit: Getty Images

Why is it a big deal?

Condon could easily be playing in the ruck for Collingwood, but he told this masthead only last month that footy was more of a back-up plan now, as he tries to make it in big-time basketball.

His key role under the white-hot glare of the college basketball decider in the United States won’t hurt.

A strong AFL draft prospect three years ago, the West Australian Condon did his prospects of landing a spot in the NBA no harm with his vital role in Florida’s thrilling 65-63 win over Houston Cougars.

Condon started for the Gators and was the highest-scoring Australian in an NCAA final with 12 points, seven rebounds and four steals.

But before Monday’s college basketball climax in San Antonio, Texas, no other Australian male had both taken to the court in the final and come away with a championship ring.

Two years ago, Australian Last-Tear Poa won an NCAA women’s championship with Louisiana State University. But the last time an Australian male appeared in the national championship game was 21 years ago when Luke Schenscher’s Georgia Tech lost to Connecticut 82-73.

Then there’s the storied situation of Australian great Andrew Gaze who went to the March Madness final in 1989 but his Seton Hall outfit had a heartbreaking loss in overtime 81-79 to Michigan.

On another historical note, Australian Mangok Mathiang won the NCAA title with Louisville in 2013, but the title was later vacated due to NCAA rules violations.

A capacity crowd of 66,602 were in attendance at the college final in Texas, which also attracted a massive TV audience in the United States, and caught the attention of former US President Barack Obama. Final viewing numbers are still to be released but NCAA final four games averaged 15.3 million viewers on CBS according to Nielsen, making them the most-watched national semi-finals in eight years.

What he said

“It was a crazy last sequence,” Condon told CBA Sports. “Walter did a great job of closing him out and making him [Sharp] dribble it.

With the buzzer about to sound, Australian Alex Condon pounces on a loose ball to secure a two-point win for the Florida Gators in the 2025 NCAA championship game.Credit: AP/Getty

“It was a smart play by him not to pick it up because it would have been a travel.

“But as soon as I realised I dived as hard as could to try and get it.”

What happens next?

If Condon doesn’t get picked up by an NBA franchise in this year’s draft, he plans to stay with Florida next season with the hope of getting drafted in 2026. ESPN ranked him a potential pick 16 in February for this year’s draft, and more recently forecasted him going at pick 28, but draft expert Jonathan Givony wrote that Condon could be a lottery (top 13) pick in 2026.

Condon made a number of dunks in the final.Credit: AP

Collingwood are the AFL club first in line for his services should his hoops career not work out, and he heads back to Australia.

The Magpies hosted Condon, who has strong football and sporting genes, last winter.

“I am fully focused on my basketball. It [Collingwood] is just a good back-up option if it doesn’t work out down the road,” Condon told this masthead last month.

But basking in the glory of a college title, his choice to lob for basketball over footy could be settled once and for all.

“It’s crazy. I don’t know how to describe it,” he said.

“We’re going to celebrate. It’s a special team.

“I love every single person on this team. It’s crazy.”

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