The Florida State program has had a great start to the fall season, both on the football field and on the basketball court. FSU looks to be back in the national spotlight with a huge Week 1 win vs. Alabama, but we are here to talk about the wins FSU has been racking up in the recruiting world for basketball.
In the latest news, FSU landed two more Top 100 prospects in Collin Paul and Brandon Bass Jr, both of whom have a chance to carve out a valuable role in the coming years of the ACC. They had also landed two other prospects over the summer, as Florida State continues to take a step in the right direction.
Current Commitments for the Class of 2026:
2026 6’11 Marcis Ponder – Top 75 Prospect
2026 6’7 Collin Paul – Top 100 Prospect
2026 6’4 Brandon Bass Jr. – Top 100 Prospect
2026 5’10 Jasen Lopez – Top 150 Prospect
Lopez, a 5’10 “guard, first committed back in June and is a dual-sport athlete who will be interesting to track in both his football and basketball adventures. However, the latest three commitments for Coach Luke Loucks have been big in many ways. Ponder is an absolute monster on the court, as we has this to say when he committed:
“There is room for growth overall in his game, and that should only continue to come at the next level, but he is one who is ready to compete at a collegiate level from Day 1, even if it is just to be a body out there to battle. However, when we have watched him, Ponder has shown that he can be a dominant big man operating in the post, willing his way to his spots, overpowering and bullying opponents down in the paint, and really being able to control the glass on either end. He does a great job in attacking the offensive glass and finishing, embracing contact, and being a rim protector as well. There aren’t too many opponents that want to run into him on the defensive end when he is manning the paint.”
One of the latest commitments in the last few days came from 2026 6’7 Collin Paul, a player that I believe is underrated in what he has to offer and brings a lot of versatility. He has caught our eyes in so many events, with one being at the US Open, where we had this to say:
“Paul was a prospect that I was highly impressed with and is an absolute matchup nightmare for opponents. Though he is listed at 6’8, he has an exceptional feel for the game and is comfortable in operating from all levels on the court. Paul can step out and be a threat; he excels in off-the-dribble and bodying up opponents and also being able to take advantage of bigs with his skillset and being quicker. He can be placed in a variety of positions and flourish, and he showed that on Day 2. With what we saw, his recruitment should continue to rise with college programs.”
And then on Thursday afternoon, FSU had landed yet another big-time prospect in SG Brandon Bass Jr., a 6’4 185-pound prospect that gives FSU yet another weapon from the outside. 247Sports Director of Scouting, Adam Finkelstein, had this to say about his game:
“Bass is a talented southpaw scorer who has had a big reputation since he was younger. He’s a vastly improved shooter in that time. He has a low release and unorthodox follow-through, but made 42% of his threes on nearly 6 attempts per game in 3SSB play, and 51% of his open spot-up threes. He also made 82% of his free-throws. While his shooting has evolved into his best weapon, he can still slash and make some straight-line drives to his dominant left side. He has to keep developing his right hand, decision-making going through the lane (1.3 assists to 1.8 turnovers), and finishing though (42% at the rim). He’s a solid athlete with plus length (6-foot-8 wingspan) who rebounds well in traffic (4 per game), but still needs to get stronger and fill-out his frame.
Now with four commitments on board, many of which are bringing big-time size and impact, Florida State and Coach Loucks have this program trending in the right direction. After four seasons in which the Seminoles have been hovering around .500, this staff is looking to make a lot more noise and has started well with a strong recruiting class.