9/28/2023 basketball Edit

Hamilton sees how transfers have fit, feels FSU again has depth for 2023-24

Josh Nickelberry was the Atlantic 10's Sixth Man of the Year last season. (Josh Nickelberry's Instagram)

Bob Ferrante • TheOsceola

Editor

Florida State needed an infusion of talent in the offseason. Leonard Hamilton and the coaching staff looked to the portal to shore up weaknesses — to find transfers with experience, who were good shooters and could play defense.

The Seminoles lost 10 of their last 12 games last February and March as depth was non-existent due to injuries. While they perhaps didn’t land the biggest names in the portal, Hamilton emphasized how well Jamir Watkins (VCU), Josh Nickelberry (LaSalle) and Primo Spears (Georgetown) fit FSU’s system very well.

“Those guys are battle tested,” Hamilton said. “They were significant contributors to the teams that they came from. And I think that helps the transition period. Their skill sets fit the way we want to play. Jamir is a good shooter, good ball handler, athletic, downhill driver and good passer. Josh Nickelberry is a great shooter, he’s savvy, makes good decisions. Offensively, he’s known for being a really good 3-point shooter. But he’s also athletic, can drive and finish. Primo brings that Toney Douglas mentality defensively, 94 feet. He really creates off the dribble. And he’s a good perimeter shooter.”

FSU struggled from the start last season and finished 9-23. Gone are leading scorer Matthew Cleveland (Miami), Caleb Mills (Memphis) and Naheem McLeod (Syracuse). FSU welcomes in a trio of transfers, freshman Taylor Bowen and a large group of returning players in Baba Miller, Darin Green Jr., Cameron Corhen, Jalen Warley, Chandler Jackson, Tom House and De’Ante Green.

Cam Fletcher and Jaylan Gainey are also on their way back from knee surgeries, Gainey’s from last summer and Fletcher’s injury was in December.

“Gainey has been extremely aggressive in his rehab where he’s doing running, jumping and cutting,” Hamilton said. “We’re just not putting him back in the system right now as more of a cautionary thing. We feel he’s making progress. We’re not as interested in Cam Fletcher and Gainey being ready in September. We want to make sure that we have them over the long haul.”

Hamilton offered some updates to a few FSU beat writers on Thursday afternoon, just a few days ahead of the team’s official start to preseason practice on Saturday. The Seminoles have been able to practice throughout the summer with limitations on how many hours of on-court time coaches can have with players.

“Our depth is back,” Hamilton said. “We now have enough depth where we can sustain the effort for long periods of time like we have in the past. Last year, obviously we were a little short on depth.”

Leonard Hamilton on Primo Spears' waiver request from NCAA

Some other thoughts from Hamilton:

Bowen is 6-10 and just 195 pounds but athletic and has an impressive vertical. “Taylor (Bowen) is a little more skilled than most incoming freshmen, but his athleticism is exceptional,” Hamilton said. Bowen is also a very good 3-point shooter, Hamilton said.

Waka Mbatch is a 6-10, 194-pound forward from Gambia. The freshman is athletic but hasn’t had much formal experience. “Waka is a youngster who is adjusting to the American game,” Hamilton said. “He’s starting from a different vantage point than the other guys because of his background and development. But his progress has been steady.”

Darin Green was almost entirely a 3-point shooter last season, but Hamilton sees more of an all-around game developing. “He’s learning how to add some pieces to his game, attacking off the dribble, going left on pull-ups, finishing with your right hand, finishing with your left hand,” Hamilton said. “He’s really expanded his game to really be able to take advantage of the ball movement and the ball screens that we have in our program. He’s worked hard at becoming more of a guy who creates for his teammates as well as himself.”

Hamilton said the experience gained by Corhen, Miller, Jackson and House a season ago — a group that was pressed to play more minutes due to injuries — will help them this season. “The experience that they got under those types of circumstances, mentally and emotionally has prepared them to come into the season in a lot better place than they were last year,” Hamilton said. “… I think that's valuable. That can be a plus for us this year.”

Last winter, Hamilton often remarked that Miller simply needed more time on the basketball court following the half-season suspension. He got that in playing for the Spanish national team in July and August. “I think the experience that he had this summer with his national team has given him a lot more confidence,” Hamilton said.