4/14/2023 basketball Edit

La Salle transfer Josh Nickelberry explains why he committed to FSU

Josh Nickelberry is FSU's first commitment via the transfer portal. (USA Today Sports)

Bob Ferrante • TheOsceola

Editor

Josh Nickelberry showed early interest in Florida State, dating back to his days in high school. When he went into the transfer portal in April, Nickelberry praised the Seminoles and coach Leonard Hamilton.

Nickelberry announced his commitment on Friday evening while on his official visit to the campus. But he admitted he committed to FSU when Hamilton visited last Thursday.

"It’s been great," Nickelberry told the Osceola during a break in his official visit. "Since the cat’s out of the bag, I committed when coach Ham came up to visit."

A 6-foot-4, 205-pound guard, Nickelberry was the Atlantic 10 conference's Sixth Man of the year. He scored 26 points against Wake Forest in November and averaged 12.5 points per game in 2022-23.

Nickelberry arrived in Tallahassee on Thursday night and began his visit Friday, taking a tour of the campus and meeting with an academic advisor. He said his interests for the upcoming year will be either business, entrepreneurship or film school.

And Nickelberry has also spent time with his new teammates.

"It’s been great," Nickelberry said. "I can already tell the guys are close. They’re being very accepting."

Nickelberry's cousin, Kevin, was officially named an FSU assistant coach on Friday. Josh said Kevin has been honest with him at every step of his basketball journey.

"He told me that it’s a new level," Josh Nickelberry said. "He’s been on me ever since I was coming out of high school. He sat me down and looked me in the eye. He told me this is different.

"He told me he’s not going to let me slack off. I know it’s going to be a lot of work."