The current Florida State men's basketball season may have been derailed with a rash of recent injuries and losses, but that doesn't mean the Seminoles aren't still making noise in the basketball world.
Several former FSU stars, some getting their first real shot in the NBA, have not only proven they belong in the league but that they might end up becoming legitimate stars.
First and foremost: Scottie Barnes.
The 2021 ACC Freshman of the Year was the No. 4 pick in the NBA Draft and has certainly lived up that lofty selection so far in his rookie season. He's currently averaging 14.7 points and 7.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists, one steal and one block per game for the Toronto Raptors.
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He's well on his way to being named to the 2022 NBA All-Rookie team and will also take part in the Rising Stars Challenge during All-Star Weekend.
Barnes currently ranks fourth among all rookies in scoring, second in blocked shots and second in rebounds. He leads all rookies in minutes played.
Another former Seminole star experiencing his first real taste of the NBA is Trent Forrest.
The Chipley native is in his second year in the league but his first as an actual rotation player for the Utah Jazz. And lately, he's been getting big minutes for the perennial Western Conference playoff squad.
Five days ago, he had the best game of his career in a 108-104 win over the Nuggets.
In 39 minutes on the floor, he scored 18 points (on 6-of-7 shooting) and delivered eight assists. Both were career-high numbers. He followed that up with an eight-point, seven-assist performance in a win over the Nets on Friday night.
And Forrest had another game during this stretch when he scored 17 points in a narrow loss to the Suns.
After barely seeing any significant minutes as a rookie a year ago, Forrest is now squarely in the Jazz backcourt rotation and is proving he can be a contributing player for Quin Snyder's team.
Fellow second-year player Devin Vassell is having a breakout season this year as well.
The 2021 lottery pick is averaging 11.2 points per game for the Spurs coming off the bench and has scored in double-figures in 28 games this season. He's averaging just over 25 minutes per game and has become one of the Spurs' most consistent perimeter shooters; he also is one of the team's most reliable defenders.
Terance Mann is having the most productive season of his NBA career as well.
Mann became a household name last year with his remarkable 39-point effort in a Game 7 playoff win over the Jazz, and while he hasn't had another scoring night like that so far this season, he has proven to be one of the Clippers' most valuable players. Especially with injuries to stars Paul George and Kawhi Leonard.
Mann is currently averaging a career-high 9.9 points per game and a career-high 5.1 rebounds. He's shooting a very respectable 35.8 percent from 3-point range and has become a driving force in the Clippers' push toward the playoffs.
Mann has scored in double-figures 25 times this season while averaging just 8.1 shots per game. Like the previous Seminoles mentioned, he has more than proven he belongs in the NBA and should be a contributing player for a number of years.
And last but not least is the player who has been in the league the longest among former Seminoles.
Malik Beasley is in his sixth season in the NBA and is once again proving to be one of the most prolific shooters in the league. He currently ranks fifth in the NBA in 3-pointers made, with 155 already this season.
Beasley has been streakier than normal for the Timberwolves so far in 2022, shooting 35.2 percent from beyond the arc. But he has had a number of games where he's caught fire and gone on offensive barrages.
Starting with a 26-point effort against the Suns, Beasley has been playing his best basketball here lately. In the last five games, the Atlanta native is averaging 16.8 points per game and 3.6 made 3-pointers per game.
All five former Seminoles currently getting minutes in the NBA have a very real chance to play in the postseason as well.
The Raptors, Jazz, Clippers and Timberwolves are all currently positioned to advance to either the playoffs or the play-in tournament to get into the playoffs. And Vassell's Spurs are just 1.5 games back of the No. 10 spot in the West.
Jonathan Isaac and Patrick Williams, both former lottery picks, have yet to play in an NBA game this year because of injury.
As for other recent Seminoles trying to make it to the NBA, RaiQuan Gray is currently averaging 8.4 points, 8.7 rebounds and 4.8 assists for the Long Island Nets in the G-League.
Mfiondu Kabengele is averaging 14 points and 7.8 rebounds in four games with the G League's Rio Grande Valley Vipers; he is currently shooting 66.7 percent from 3.
M.J. Walker, who actually played in two NBA games this season for the Suns but didn't score a point, is averaging 8.7 points in seven games so far this season for the G League's Westchester Knicks.
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