Billy Donovan wants Kenny Boynton to become a leader

Kenny Boynton was supposed to have a career path similar to former teammate Bradley Beal: a super-athletic McDonald's All-American guard who needed only a one-year pit-stop in college before becoming a first-round NBA draft pick.

Instead, while Beal became the No. 3 overall pick in 2011, Boynton will be a four-year starter at Florida, hoping to improve his game and push his team into the Final Four after two straight Elite Eight exits.

Due to all of his big-game experience in Gainesville, Gators coach Billy Donovan wants Boynton to embrace a bigger leadership role on the Gators in 2012 (courtesy of the Gainesville Sun):

"Hopefully he can step up into more of a leadership role for us," Donovan said. "Kenny has been one those kind of quiet leaders where he doesn't say a whole lot. I think a lot of times it's done through how he performs and how hard he plays."

Boynton averaged 15.9 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists on 44% shooting last season, but the 6'2 190 combo guard knows he needs to display a more well-rounded game to impress NBA scouts.

The main thing he needs to improve is his assist-to-turnover ratio, as a player Boynton's size needs to be able to set up his teammates and be a playmaker at the next level.

And while "leadership" is usually associated with off-the-court actions, if Boynton can get his teammates easier shots without turning the ball over, that's leadership of a different, and just as important, kind.