Florida State Basketball has been a rollercoaster over the past few weeks. The team recently had a four-game losing streak while head coach Leonard Hamilton announced his resignation after 23 years with the program. With the ups and downs of what has taken place this season, the question is what does the future look like for Florida State Basketball?
The future is unknown. But I can tell you that it has a chance to go in the right direction. Despite Hamilton’s soon departure, the Noles’ feature great young talent who can impact this program soon. One of those players is a freshman from Toronto, Ontario named Christian Nitu. Nitu has not disappointed since his arrival on Florida State’s campus. The more opportunity he gets, the more production he provides on the floor.
Florida State had to regroup after the 2023-24 season. As several players entered the transfer portal, the goal was to fill the roster. The Noles made sure to do that by acquiring key transfers who could use their previous experience to help the team. Nitu was one of a few freshmen that Coach Hamilton believed could become a difference-maker on this year’s roster.
As Nitu officially made his commitment to Florida State, that’s when the questions began to surface. How could he fit with this team? Fans saw a scrawny 6’11 prospect and didn’t think his size would match the physicality of college basketball. Despite Nitu’s small frame in high school, nobody could discredit his skillset. He was a dynamic big man who showed the combination of shooting, ball-handling, and rebounding. Nitu didn’t fit the criteria of what a Florida State power forward/center looked like. However, he brought a unique style that the coaching staff was impressed with.
Throughout the season, Christian Nitu has not been a consistent piece in the rotation. It’s not because he can’t play. It's because the Florida State roster is so deep not many players are going to get consistent minutes. When you look at Nitu’s early season, getting consistent playing time would’ve been the best thing for his development. When he got on the floor, he looked lost. Nitu would blow assignments on defense as well as be a liability on the offensive end. Most of his minutes were hard to watch during the first half of the season.
Despite a poor start to Nitu’s college career, the team still believed in him. They knew the talent and energy he could bring to the table. With that being said, Florida State continued to insert him into the rotation. Slowly but surely, Nitu began to progress as a college player. I began to notice it after Florida State’s win over Tulane in the Orange Bowl Basketball Classic, where he recorded six points in 15 minutes of action.
It was a situation where Nitu took advantage of the opportunity. As Florida State was without several players, that meant more minutes were granted to available players. The stat sheet showed that Nitu had a great performance. He did a little bit of everything from displaying a hook shot on offense while battling and getting defensive stops. Most of Nitu’s impact didn’t show in the box score. However, his positive impact led to a 77-64 victory for Florida State.
Christian Nitu’s performance against Tulane was only the beginning of an improved season. Yes, his minutes continued to be inconsistent. However, Nitu stayed ready whenever his number was called. He continued to be a great compliment next to key players like Jamir Watkins, Daquan Davis, and others. Nitu has become a better rim runner, post scorer, and defender throughout the season for Florida State. Whether he gets minutes in the middle of the first half or in garbage time, he shows some signs of positivity every time he’s on the floor.
Leonard Hamilton’s resignation does spark questions for the young players. Who will stay with Florida State and play under a new head coach? Which players will hit the transfer portal after this season? Those questions are uncertain as of today. However, the best thing for Florida State is to help Christian Nitu continue his development. As his college career continues, Nitu could become a pivotal piece in the Seminoles’ future success. He may not become a star player but could become a valuable role player for the team.