Alijah Martin
{{Short description|American basketball player (born 2001)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Alijah Martin
| image = File:Alijah Martin.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Martin with Florida in 2025
| team = Florida Gators
| number = 15
| position = Shooting guard
| league = Southeastern Conference
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 2
| weight_lb = 210
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2001|12|26}}
| birth_place = Summit, Mississippi, U.S.{{Cite web |last=Magazine |first=The Ballers |date=2024-07-31 |title=Alijah Martin: College Basketball Player, University of Florida |url=https://www.theballersmagazine.com/post/alijah-martin-college-basketball-player-university-of-florida-full-interview |access-date=2025-04-08 |website=The Ballers Magazine |language=en}}
| high_school = North Pike
(Summit, Mississippi)
| college =
- Florida Atlantic (2020–2024)
- Florida (2024–2025)
| highlights =
- NCAA champion (2025)
- First-team All-C-USA (2023)
- Second-team All-AAC (2024)
- Third-team All-C-USA (2022)
- C-USA tournament MVP (2023)
}}
Alijah Martin (born December 26, 2001) is an American college basketball player for the Florida Gators of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). He previously played for the Florida Atlantic Owls.
Career
Martin attended North Pike High School in Summit, Mississippi.{{Cite web |last=Magazine |first=The Ballers |date=2024-07-31 |title=Alijah Martin: College Basketball Player, University of Florida |url=https://www.theballersmagazine.com/post/alijah-martin-college-basketball-player-university-of-florida-full-interview |access-date=2025-04-08 |website=The Ballers Magazine |language=en}} A multi-sport athlete, he played football as a quarterback, passing for 2,100 yards and rushing for 1,300 yards in his senior season.{{Cite web |last=Brockway |first=Kevin |title=Grad transfer guard Alijah Martin explains why he left FAU for Florida basketball |url=https://www.gainesville.com/story/sports/college/basketball/2024/09/26/florida-basketball-guard-alijah-martin-on-why-he-left-fau-for-uf/75304552007/ |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=Gainesville Sun |language=en-US}} In his senior basketball season, he averaged 25.4 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 3.4 steals per game, before committing to play college basketball at Florida Atlantic University.{{Cite web |title=North Pike’s Alijah Martin verbally commits to FAU |url=https://www.wjtv.com/sports/friday-night-rewind/north-pikes-alijah-martin-verbally-commits-to-fau/ |website=WJTV}}
After playing sparingly as a freshman for the Owls, he averaged 13.9 points and 5.3 rebounds per game as a sophomore, being named to the all-conference third team.{{Cite web |last=Wallace |first=Eric J. |title=5 things to know about Florida Atlantic basketball star sophomore Alijah Martin |url=https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/sports/college/2023/03/21/alijah-martin-5-things-about-florida-atlantic-basketball-star-march-madness-fau/70034019007/ |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=The Palm Beach Post |language=en-US}} The following season, he averaged 13.4 points and 5.3 rebounds per game, helping lead Florida Atlantic to the school's first ever Final Four appearance.{{Cite web |last=Weinberger |first=Zach |title=Johnell Davis joins Alijah Martin: Declare for 2023 NBA Draft but preserve college eligibility |url=https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/sports/college/owls/2023/04/09/faus-alijah-martin-declares-for-nba-draft-but-could-still-return-to-owls/70097765007/ |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=The Palm Beach Post |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2023-04-10 |title=Alijah Martin declares for NBA Draft, but it may not be end of his college career |url=https://www.wptv.com/sports/college-sports/florida-atlantic-university/alijah-martin-declares-for-nba-draft-but-it-may-not-be-end-of-his-college-career |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=WPTV News Channel 5 West Palm |language=en}} In his final season with the Owls, he averaged 13.1 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game, before entering the transfer portal.{{Cite web |last=Pugliese |first=Nick |title=Alijah Martin joins exodus of Florida Atlantic basketball players entering transfer portal |url=https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/sports/college/basketball/2024/04/06/alijah-martin-joins-exodus-of-florida-atlantic-owls-entering-transfer-portal/73230768007/ |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=The Palm Beach Post |language=en-US}}
In April 2024, Martin announced his decision to transfer to the University of Florida.{{Cite web |date=2024-04-21 |title=Final Four star Martin going from FAU to Florida |url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/39987927/alijah-martin-part-fau-final-four-run-joining-florida |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2024-04-22 |title=Former FAU standout Alijah Martin signs with Florida over Alabama, Arkansas, Michigan and others |url=https://apnews.com/article/alijah-martin-florida-fau-a196e04b87c4abdc871b21321eba5eda |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=AP News |language=en}} He made an instant impact, emerging as the Gators' starting shooting guard.{{Cite web |last=Brockway |first=Kevin |title=How Alijah Martin's NCAA Tournament experience could help Florida basketball in March Madness |url=https://www.gainesville.com/story/sports/college/basketball/2025/03/20/florida-basketball-guard-alijah-martin-adds-postseason-pedigree-to-uf-roster/82543588007/ |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=Gainesville Sun |language=en-US}} In a game against Southern Illinois, he recorded 32 points, nine rebounds, and five assists, leading Florida to a 93–68 victory.{{Cite web |date=2024-11-23 |title=FAU transfer Alijah Martin sees Final Four potential in unbeaten Gators |url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/11/22/florida-gators-basketball-fau-transfer-alijah-martin-todd-golden/ |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=Orlando Sentinel |language=en-US}} Against Auburn in the Final Four, he scored 17 points in a 79–73 victory.{{Cite web |title=Florida's Martin gets second chance at a championship |url=https://baynews9.com/fl/tampa/sports/2025/04/07/florida-gators--houston-cougars--final-four--college-basketball--alijah-martin |access-date=2025-04-08 |website=baynews9.com |language=en}} In the National Championship Game against Houston, he tallied seven points, helping lead the Gators to the school's third national championship.{{Cite news |last=Schnell |first=Lindsay |date=2025-04-08 |title=Florida’s Alijah Martin will talk about his second chance at the Final Four forever |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6263464/2025/04/08/florida-basketball-alijah-martin-fau-ncaa-title/ |access-date=2025-04-08 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}
Career statistics
{{NBA player statistics legend}}
=College=
{{NBA player statistics start}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2020–21
| style="text-align:left;"| Florida Atlantic
| 21 || 2 || 9.2 || .471 || .349 || .615 || 2.4 || .8 || .4 || .1 || 4.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2021–22
| style="text-align:left;"| Florida Atlantic
| 33 || 33 || 29.2 || .458 || .400 || .753 || 5.3 || 1.5 || 1.6 || .4 || 13.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2022–23
| style="text-align:left;"| Florida Atlantic
| 36 || 21 || 26.4 || .438 || .372 || .788 || 5.3 || 1.4 || 1.0 || .3 || 13.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2023–24
| style="text-align:left;"| Florida Atlantic
| 34 || 30 || 30.6 || .414 || .338 || .750 || 5.9 || 1.6 || 1.6 || .3 || 13.1
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2024–25
| style="text-align:left;"| Florida
| 38 || 36 || 30.4 || .452 || .350 || .761 || 4.5 || 2.2 || 1.5 || .2 || 14.4
|-
{{S-end}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://floridagators.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/alijah-martin/16991 Florida Gators bio]
- [https://fausports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/alijah-martin/15570 Florida Atlantic Owls bio]
{{2025 Florida Gators men's basketball navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Martin, Alijah}}
Category:American men's basketball players
Category:Basketball players from Mississippi
Category:Florida Atlantic Owls men's basketball players
Category:Florida Gators men's basketball players