3/3/2023 basketball Edit

Leonard Hamilton says FSU will probably seek 3-4 transfers in offseason

Leonard Hamilton explained with some detail on Friday his plans for how to shape the 2023-24 team. (Mike Olivella)

Bob Ferrante • TheOsceola

Editor

Leonard Hamilton did a quick turn and slammed both hands into the scorer’s table, a rare sign of emotion from a coach who doesn’t get too high or too low during games.

The turnover was by Darin Green Jr., in his first year at FSU but a veteran following his transfer from UCF, and it was committed by a guard who played 36 minutes, 19 seconds in the 77-66 loss to North Carolina. Hamilton’s frustration has been evident often in postgame interviews during a 9-21 regular season that wraps up on Saturday at Virginia Tech (4 p.m. on ESPN2).

If FSU doesn’t win another game in 2022-23, it will be the first time since Steve Robinson’s 2000-01 squad that the Seminoles didn’t pick up 10 victories. Hamilton has won at least 17 games in each season since 2005-06.

There is also frustration as a result of season-ending injuries to Cam’Ron Fletcher and Jaylan Gainey, which has forced the Seminoles to depend more on freshmen and keep veterans on the court longer each game. That has caught up with the Seminoles, who completed a stunning comeback at Miami on Matthew Cleveland’s 3-pointer but also have dropped seven straight home games.

Hamilton has frequently said he “got the memo” on hitting the transfer portal, something Miami, Wake Forest and Pittsburgh have done. On Friday morning, Hamilton quantified a vision for the 2023-24 team that includes the return of Fletcher and Gainey — both of which he said have done well in their rehabilitation from knee surgeries.

“Obviously we need them back in our program,” Hamilton said. “That will be a tremendous help. We're going to probably bring in 3-4 kids out of the portal that will complement what we have here, and I think that we will be back to a lot more of a stable situation than depending on so many first-year players like we were this year.”

Fletcher and Gainey have been on the bench for FSU’s home games and often traveled, too. They have sat in on film sessions and observed practices when they don’t conflict with rehabilitation. Gainey has one year left to play, and Fletcher could also return for 2023-24.

Hamilton has brought up general plans and thoughts about next season’s team in the past month. He again on Friday admitted to not judging the departures of some veterans (Anthony Polite and Malik Osborne) as well as John Butler Jr., who opted to test the NBA waters after his freshman season at FSU in 2021-22.

“I thought we could get by one more year without really delving into it really as deep as some teams have,” Hamilton said. “I didn't calculate some things that happened I didn't prepare for the unexpected. And so I take full responsibility. Normally we've always tried to be ahead of the curve but I think as a staff, we got to give more respect to youngsters that are making decisions when they think that it's best for them and not necessarily what's best as we see it.”

While FSU has struggled this season, there have been some freshmen who have developed ahead of schedule. Cam Corhen is averaging 8.3 points and 3.3 rebounds, shooting 53 percent from the floor and 81 percent from the free-throw line. Chandler Jackson has been inconsistent but also had 10 points at Miami and 10 points in the home loss to Boston College. De’Ante Green and Tom House have also seen playing time, although to a lesser extent.

Baba Miller is averaging 4.2 points and 3.3 rebounds, but he had a string of baskets in the second half of the loss to UNC in front of a large group of NBA scouts and could be the Seminoles’ latest one-and-done player. As an international player, Miller is also not able to take advantage of any name, image and likeness opportunities due to US student visa laws.

Caleb Mills has graduated and has a stay-or-go decision. Cleveland will also need to make a call on his future. Both of their decisions impact next season’s roster. FSU has also signed just one high school prospect, versatile forward Taylor Bowen, leaving room for a portal infusion. Hamilton feels there is a good core on the roster to build around and use the portal to fill out the roster.

“There's no question that we'll be giving a lot more attention to the transfer portal,” Hamilton said. “And I'm sure that we will have an opportunity to know a little bit more about the people who are available. And I think if we have a core of pretty good pieces coming back, and I think if we just make the right decisions and bring some players in that will supplement. We can probably, hopefully be just as effective as some of the other teams in our league have been.”

Hamilton thinks there is an opportunity to use the NCAA-allowed 13 scholarships but also funds from name, image and likeness to lure in top transfers. He referenced the potential of someone on the FSU roster in 2023-24 that isn’t on scholarship but could instead be receiving NIL funds as an offset.

“I've told you guys a million times: You can’t count my scholarships,” Hamilton said. “But the NIL and the portal now opens up the door for different scenarios. Everybody don’t have to be on scholarship. So you just got more options now. You got more options to look at. I just know at the end of the day I feel like we are going to be just fine.”