Florida State Basketball is in need of a change of fortune heading into a new season under head coach Leonard Hamilton. With eight players returning from last season and four potential contributors joining the rotation out of the transfer portal, things should look a lot different for them this year.
Depth and experience certainly shouldn’t be an issue for the Seminoles following a down year in the ACC which saw them finish 7-13 in the conference, good for 12th in the standings this past season. With so many moving parts, Florida State finished with just nine victories following an eighth-place finish in 2021-22. Head coach Leonard Hamilton and company have gone deep in the transfer portal while also returning some experience from last year’s squad as they look for much better results in 2023-24.
After missing the NCAA Tournament the past two seasons, things should change with a new cast of players in the Seminoles rotation. Primo Spears (Georgetown) is the leading name as he looks to change the fortunes of an offense that finished scoring 69.3 ppg in 2022-23, ranking 235th across all of college basketball. Spears has climbed up the ranks over the past few seasons from the Atlantic 10 with Duquesne in 2021-22 to the Big East in 2022-23. He’ll be a leading name who should turn things around for Florida State this season.
Josh Nickelberry (LaSalle) makes his return to the ACC after spending 2021-23 in the Atlantic 10 where he excelled. He’ll look to go out with much better results donning the crimson and gold to close out his career. Take a look at the projected starting lineup and depth chart for the Seminoles heading into the 2023-24 season.
Point Guard
Starter – Primo Spears (30 mpg)
Primo Spears makes his third stop in the college basketball landscape as he joins Florida State out of the Big East. He produced 16.0 ppg, 5.3 apg, 3.0 rpg and 1.1 spg on 40.8 percent shooting from the field with Georgetown in 2022-23.
He finished fourth in the Big East in assists (169) while averaging a career-high in assists per game and also finished sixth in field goals made (194) this past season. He’ll look to inject some of his offensive prowess into a Florida State squad that’s in desperate need of a leader in the backcourt.
Bench – Chandler Jackson, Josh Nickelberry
Chandler Jackson is a name who should emerge as the backup point guard spot this season. He appeared in 29 contests in 2022-23, putting up 3.6 ppg, 1.3 apg and 1.3 rpg on 37.5 percent shooting from deep and 40.2 percent shooting from the floor. He’ll have some competition for minutes as Josh Nickelberry looks to work his way off the bench as well.
Nickelberry appeared in the ACC back in 2020 until 2022 where he made 24 appearances for the Cardinals across two seasons before making a move to LaSalle, where he flourished as the A-10 Sixth Man of the Year.
Shooting Guard
Starter – Darin Green Jr. (30 mpg)
Darin Green Jr. is the first returning name who shouldn’t see his role diminished as a shotmaker and playmaker at the shooting guard spot for the Seminoles. Green made 32 appearances, all starts, averaging 13.4 ppg, 2.9 rpg and 2.0 apg on 36.4 percent shooting from behind the arc in 2022-23.
He finished second in the ACC in 3-pointers made (91) in his debut season and will look to play a bigger role with success this upcoming year. He played over 30 minutes this past season but with more depth and less pressure on him, he should see his minutes even out around 30 mpg in 2023-24.
Bench – Josh Nickelberry, Cam’Ron Fletcher
Josh Nickelberry and Cam’Ron Fletcher are two names who should battle for minutes at the shooting guard role. Nickelberry is new to the rotation while Fletcher makes his return to the lineup after appearing in just 10 games for Florida State in 2022-23 before suffering a right knee injury that sidelined him in December. He was well on his way to a solid season with 10.8 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 1.3 spg and 1.1 apg.
Look for him to compete for minutes as a presence off the bench. Given Fletcher’s length, he also holds potential at the small forward/wing position given Coach Hamilton’s penchant for using versatility in many of his rotations.
Small Forward/Wing
Starter – Jalen Warley (30 mpg)
Jalen Warley is another returning face in the Florida State rotation who should see his role grow at the small forward/wing spot. He’s a 6-foot-6 presence who is capable of operating as a third guard on the floor when needed for the Seminoles who continues to improve as more opportunities are put in front of him.
He averaged 6.8 ppg, 3.3 apg, 2.9 rpg and 1.3 spg, all career-high averages, across 32 contests, 21 starts, in 2022-23. He isn’t the greatest perimeter threat just yet but, with another playmaker like Primo Spears leading the charge, look for Warley to really increase his output in 2023-24.
Bench – Jamir Watkins, Cam’Ron Fletcher
Jamir Watkins brings a versatile skillset with him from the A-10’s VCU Rams, last year’s conference champion looking to make his presence felt. He’s another new face who should play a ton of minutes off the bench and could even find himself in the starting rotation by season’s end given his ability to play multiple roles on the floor. He’s an underrated athletic forward who can knock down shots, make plays for others and battle in the painted area.
Cam’Ron Fletcher is another name who should see minutes at the small forward/wing role given his shooting prowess. He was shooting 33.3 percent from deep before his injury this past December.
Power Forward
Starter – Cam Corhen (25 mpg)
Cam Corhen returns for Florida State with a ton of experience in the frontcourt following his freshman season. He’ll need to build upon his production from a season ago with savvy veteran additions around him. He produced 8.3 ppg and 3.5 rpg across 32 games, 21 starts, in his debut season.
He’ll need to increase his presence on the defensive end if he hopes to be a bigger presence in the Seminoles’ rotation at the power forward spot in 2023-24. Their interior defense was one of their biggest weaknesses this past season, so he’ll need to show his improvement on that front or he could see a reduction in his role.
Bench – Jamir Watkins, De’Ante Green
Jamir Watkins should see early minutes at the power forward spot when needed. He put up 9.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 1.5 apg and 1.2 spg on 34 percent shooting from deep across 35 appearances, 17 starts, in 2022-23. It wouldn’t be surprising if Watkins took over the starting job at the power forward spot if Cohen doesn’t work out. Watkins is fully capable of operating at the stretch-forward spot at 6-foot-7 and 210 pounds.
De’Ante Green is a returning name who should compete for minutes at the backup power forward spot as well. He made 24 appearances and averaged 6.3 mpg as a freshman.
Center/Forward
Starter – Jaylan Gainey (30 mpg)
Jaylan Gainey is another new face who will be looked upon to change the fortune for the Seminoles especially in the painted area, as he makes his long-awaited debut in 2023-24. He’s a former two-time Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year who will look to make his mark in the Florida State frontcourt this upcoming season. He suffered a knee injury that sidelined him for the entire 2022-23 season but with a year to get the Florida State culture under his belt, he should turn heads with his length and prowess around the rim on both ends.
In his last fully healthy season, Gainey put up 9.3 ppg, 6.9 rpg and 2.1 bpg on 70.3 percent shooting from the field back in 2021-22 with the Brown Bears. He’ll look to re-establish himself as a name to know to the college basketball world and the ACC with his return to the hardwood.
Bench – Baba Miller, Taylor Bol Bowen
Baba Miller returns for the Seminoles looking to play a role at the backup center position. He’s a 6-foot-11 big man who made 15 appearances in 2022-23, producing 4.3 ppg and 3.7 rpg across 17.3 mpg.
He’ll look to keep freshman Taylor Bol Bowen off his heels as he looks to be more of a defensive presence for the Seminoles in 2023-24. Florida State took a big hit in the frontcourt with the losses of Matthew Cleveland and Naheem McLeod.