Florida State begins a new era with alumnus Luke Loucks in charge and fresh faces all around
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Florida State (17-15, 8-12 ACC)
Luke Loucks replaced retiring coach Leonard Hamilton and was tasked with rejuvenating a program that has slipped. The Seminoles finished no better than tied for eighth in Hamilton’s final four seasons, and the school decided it was time for a change after six former players sued Hamilton for allegedly failing to deliver on name, image and likeness promises. The 35-year-old Loucks, who left the NBA ranks to rebuild his alma mater, retooled FSU’s roster through the transfer portal.
Players to watch
Former Drexel guard Kobe MaGee averaged 14 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.1 steals as a junior last season. He should help raise the scoring average of a team that ranked 164th nationally last year with 74.5 points a game.
Robert McCray V scored a team-high 26 points in FSU’s exhibition loss at Alabama, showing his offensive skills. The 6-foot-4 senior averaged 16.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.4 steals at Jacksonville last season.
Chauncey Wiggins is the most experienced guy on FSU’s roster. The 6-10 forward played in 97 games over three seasons at Clemson. He finished with 16 points and a team-high 11 rebounds against the Crimson Tide.
Departures and arrivals
The Seminoles added seven transfers and three freshmen to replace 10 departures. Loucks’ recruiting class, which features combo guard Cam Miles, ranked last in the ACC. Loucks already is doing much better on the recruiting trail for 2026, with four commitments.
Top games
The Seminoles face three SEC teams in non-conference action, all in the Sunshine State: No. 3 and defending national champion Florida (in Gainesville) on Nov. 11; Texas A&M (in Tampa) on Nov. 28; and Georgia (in Tallahassee) on Dec. 2. Another tough task: Dec. 6 against No. 2 Houston at the Toyota Center in Houston, home of the NBA’s Rockets.
Facts and figures
Shah Muhammad, a 6-foot-11 forward playing for his fourth program in as many years, will face his previous team when FSU plays UMass in Sunrise in mid-December. Muhammad started his college career at Seton Hall before transferring to Southern Idaho and then UMass. … The Seminoles were picked to finish 15th in the 18-team ACC. … FSU honored retired NBA star Charlie Ward by hanging his No. 12 jersey in the rafters before the team’s exhibition opener. Ward is the only player in history to win the Heisman Trophy in football and be selected in the first round of the NBA draft.
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