Florida State basketball had not had a top 10 recruiting class since Leonard Hamilton signed five-star Matthew Cleveland to lead the 2021 recruiting class. That class finished No. 10 with six signees, including Jalen Warley and John Butler.
It took less than one year for Luke Loucks to grab his first top 10 recruiting class. FSU beating out Auburn for four-star shooting guard Martay Barnes, who reclassified from 2027 to the 2026 class, moved FSU to No. 8 nationally.
Barnes is the fifth player to join the recruiting class, and the fourth blue-chip player. The class has three guards, a small forward, and a big man, Marcis Ponder.
This recruiting class should have Florida State basketball fans excited for the future
This recruiting class has most Florida State fans hyped for the future because most believe these players fit the system Luke Loucks wants to run. The fact that he got a bunch of piece-milled guys from the portal to eventually play together and buy in says a lot.
This Florida State class is only second to Duke in the ACC rankings. However, the Blue Devils have three five-stars and a four star in their class. The Pitt Panthers are the No. 3 class in the ACC with three signees.
Florida State doesn't have any commits in its 2027 recruiting class. However, their strong second half to the season should give potential recruiting targets enough of a proof of concept to keep the momentum going for Luke Loucks. FSU will likely need to hit the transfer portal to give this recruiting class some experience and leadership. However, this class should be the foundation to take this program where it wants to go.