Florida State Basketball: What Was, & What's Next
Joe Lunardi's Twitter Final Four is over, signaling the official end to the 2019-2020 basketball season. Lunardi had FSU as the national runner-up, while Dick Vitale picked the 'Noles to win the whole thing. That's a testament to what Coach Leonard Hamilton has built in Tallahassee and shows a tremendous respect for the 2019-2020 team.
With that as a backdrop, here's a quick review of the season and what we might expect next year.
The 'Noles started the year with a couple of exhibition games. Normally these games don't get much mention, but something happened in the first one that most fans didn't get to see, due to the game's limited broadcast. Less than a minute into the game Patrick Williams got the ball on the right side of the basket, elevated in a single step to where his elbow was over the rim, and slammed the ball through the hoop for the season's first basket.
Almost in unison, the crowd seemed to say, "Whoa... Did you see that? Who was that?" In the season's first minute, Williams introduced himself to the FSU fans and showed that he was everything we'd heard. He would not disappoint, as he fit nicely into Coach Hamilton's system.
The regular season started with a thud at Pittsburgh when the referees decided to be the third team on the court and tried to call more fouls that either team scored points. In that regard the refs lost, but the fouls were so skewed in Pitt's favor that the Panthers were able to steal a two-point win, leaving FSU fans to wonder what the rest of the season would bring.
That was answered four days later when FSU strutted into the O'Connell Center in Gainesville and made a very talented Gator team look pedestrian. Florida State looked nothing like the group that had lost to Pitt. Hamilton's guys dominated most of the stats, gave the fans a win over their most hated rival, and became the team that we'd see most nights for the rest of the season.
The Seminoles would go on to win more than 80% of their conference games (84% overall) to win the regular season ACC crown in a tight race with Duke and Louisville. Based on that showing, they would also be named the ACC's official champion and NCAAT representative when the ACC tournament was canceled.
Performing at such a high level again next year will be a challenge. Two seniors move on after graduating, and two underclassmen have declared for the NBA draft. Here are the guys who are moving on and how the team will try to replace them.
Trent Forrest
All Forrest did was become one of the best point guards in the country. He was the team's primary ball hander, an excellent defender, good rebounder, and the guy you wanted taking care of the rock in a close game.
Forrest can't be replaced with a single player, and fortunately for FSU, Hamilton's system doesn't rely on 1-for-1 replacement. RayQuan Evans proved to be a very capable backup at the point and should see major minutes next year. Incoming freshman star Scottie Barnes, Florida State's highest rated recruit ever, looks like he'll fit into the system quite well and will share minutes with Evans.
Melina Myers
Dominik Olejniczak
Dom was the 7-foot bruiser when FSU went to its big lineup. He got better as the season progressed and leaves you wondering what Coach Stan Jones could have done with him had Dom been on the team for two or three years. He shot 61% for the year and led the team in rebounds per minute (also fouls per minute). Balsa Koprivica looks to replace Dom as the “big” center next year and looks quite capable. He has quicker feet, shot 69% from the field, lead the team in points per minute, and was second in rebounds per minute.
Devin Vassell
Vassell advanced from a freshman competing for playing time to having the most versatile game on the team, as our David Visser discussed recently. He lead the team in points, three-point shooting percentage, rebounds, and was second in steals and minutes per game. Look for MJ Walker and Anthony Polite to play bigger roles next year. JUCO star Sardaar Calhoun will also compete for playing time on the wing. Calhoun's minutes will depend on how well he adjusts to a new system.
Patrick Williams
Williams wasn't exactly a stat suffer, but being fourth in minutes played, scoring, and rebounds is a testament to how much this freshman meant to the team. He led the team in blocked shots and free throw percentage. His NBA-ready body, skills, and feel for the game are tough to replace, so Malik Osborne and RaiQuan Gray will need to step up.
The Seminoles have to replace a lot of productivity off of this year's team to defend their conference title and national acclaim, which has already resulted in an early top-15 ranking. Whether or not it happens remains to be seen, but like this past year, it should be an entertaining ride.
