FSU basketball coach Luke Loucks has hit the ground running since getting hired a few weeks ago.
Loucks has been busy working with the FSU boosters, garnering support, while figuring out which players were staying or entering the transfer portal.
FSU has had several players enter the portal:
- Daquan Davis
- Jerry Deng
- Christian Nitu
- Justin Thomas
- Anastasios Rozakeas
- Chandler Jackson
- Taylor Bol Bowen
However, Loucks landed his first two signees from the transfer portal over the past few days. The first was Drexel shooting guard Kobe Magee, and the second was St. Bonaventure small forward Lajae Jones.
I like the games of both players. One thing that stands out right away is the ability to put the ball in the basket from the three-point line and finish at the rim in traffic.
BOOM!! Florida State fans should be thrilled about Coach Loucks first commitment as the head coach of the Seminoles!! Kobe MaGee (@Kobe5tarr) was excellent all year at Drexel and was one of the most pleasing players to watch in the country this past season.
— Matt (@HoopHound5) March 29, 2025
MaGees combination of… pic.twitter.com/AeEbXcubgJ
News: St Bonnie’s transfer Lajae Jones has committed to Florida State
— Arman Jovic (@PDTScouting) March 31, 2025
Jones averaged 11 PPG on 45/40/80 splits, all on a very respectable volume
Really high upside commit pic.twitter.com/zjLqrcZ6nL
There's a clear distinction between these two players and the guys Leonard Hamilton recruited over the past few years. FSU has struggled to put the ball in the basket from the perimeter, shooting 31 percent from three-point over the past two years and averaging about 70-71 percent from the free-throw line.
These two players shoot the three-pointer at nearly 40 percent and are around 80 percent from the free-throw line. That's night and day compared to most guys on the roster in recent years. Hamilton recruited long and athletic guys who were not highly skilled overall.
It appears Loucks will take a more modern approach, understanding the importance of scoring and attacking. However, the guys can defend, averaging over a steal per game each. Both average nearly six rebounds per game
Luke Loucks expected a large portion of the players on the roster from this past season to leave, but there are a few he'd like to keep. Malique Ewin should be at the top of that list.
FSU doesn't have a ton of NIL resources for basketball, but getting under the radar guys like these is a great start.