When Dusty May left FAU for the vacant position at Michigan last offseason, it appeared reasonable for some of his players to follow him to Ann Arbor. One of those players was Alijah Martin, who entered the transfer portal weeks after May’s departure. Martin’s entry into the portal was marked by a “do not contact” tag, indicating he had a shortlist of preferred destinations already.

It would have made sense for Martin to follow the coach he regards as a “father figure,” but ultimately, he chose to finish his college career at Florida.

Martin had discussions with May regarding a transfer to Michigan, but instead, he opted to join Todd Golden’s Gators this past offseason.

“Coach May, he definitely reached out to my people. He kind of knew I was going to try and spread my wings and get some new coaching and learn some new things from different coaches because I had been with him for four years. He is a father figure to me. There was no love lost,” Martin said.

That pivotal choice could lead Martin to become the first player in NCAA history to start in the Elite Eight with two different programs. The Gators are just one win away from returning to the Final Four for the first time since 2014.

Martin’s decision to stay and continue his journey highlights how transferring can reshape careers in today’s environment. As the Gators close in on this historic opportunity, the spotlight remains on Martin as he approaches an unprecedented achievement.