Luke Loucks committed to play for Florida State at a time when the program hadn’t yet enjoyed success under coach Leonard Hamilton. He left as a senior who was a starting point guard on an ACC Tournament championship team.
After 13 years in pro basketball — first as a player, later as a video coordinator and then NBA assistant coach — Loucks has returned with a wealth of experience. That includes NBA championships in 2017 and ’18, learning from longtime coaches like Steve Kerr and Mike Brown.
Now, Loucks brings a version of the Golden State Warriors’ and Sacramento Kings’ playbooks to FSU, running a frenetic offense with a roster infusion of experienced mid-major guards and forwards.
“I’m asking a lot of these guys because this is a pace and a style that most have never played in,” Loucks said. “But it’s not just the offense. It’s the defense, too. Your body is going to have to adjust. Or like you saw in the preseason we won’t make shots.”
Loucks said he likes the pace that the Seminoles have played with in two preseason games, a loss to Alabama in Birmingham and a win over Florida A&M. But? “I think we have another notch to how fast we can play,” Loucks said.
After admitting the exhibitions were sloppy (22 turnovers), Loucks is very encouraged. FSU’s staff brought in Kobe MaGee (Drexel), Lajae Jones (St. Bonaventure), Robert McCray V (Jacksonville), Chauncey Wiggins (Clemson) and Alex Steen (Florida Southern) who are seniors and were either starters or significant contributors at their previous schools.
They will anchor a team that also features some rising young talent (Martin Somerville, Thomas Bassong and Cam Miles) as well as two returning players in sophomores AJ Swinton and Alier Maluk.
“I want them to play free,” Loucks said. “I want them to shoot when they feel like they’re open. But most importantly I want them to share the ball offensively and create great shots every time down.”
Loucks continues a trend of ACC players who are leading their alma maters, a list that also includes Duke’s Jon Scheyer, North Carolina’s Hubert Davis and Syracuse’s Adrian Autrey (Duke standout Jeff Capel also leads Pittsburgh).
FSU opens the 2025-26 season on Tuesday against Alcorn State at 7 p.m. (ACC Network Extra). The schedule is as tough as any in recent memory, including dates with five preseason ranked teams (No. 2 Houston, No. 3 Florida, No. 6 Duke, No. 11 Louisville and No. 25 North Carolina) plus a road matchup against Dayton, which played in the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
Below are notes and a preview based on observations from FSU’s exhibition games and a few practices.
Strengths: This team has athleticism and will try to run opponents out of the gym. FSU is loaded with mid-major players who have a chip on their shoulder and will work hard. The Seminoles will aim to shoot 33 3-pointers per game and, if they can make 12 or so per night, could score 85 points and pick up wins.
Question marks: FSU doesn’t really have a 7-footer who can block shots or protect the rim, which were valued in the Leonard Hamilton Era. The Seminoles may struggle to defend drivers, although Steen is a valuable pickup from a Division II school and should be a post presence on both ends of the court.
Players to watch: Three guards (McCray V, Jones and Magee) as well as two forwards (Wiggins and Steen) are expected to start and play significant minutes. They were the starters against FAMU in the second exhibition game. UMass transfer Shah Muhammad is slender at 6-11 and 200 pounds but could contribute off the bench.
Rising stars: Freshman guard Cam Miles, freshman forward Thomas Bassong and sophomore guard Martin Somerville are all good developmental pickups but could contribute early. Swinton and Maluk return from the 2024-25 team.
Key departures: Jamir Watkins (drafted), Taylor Bol Bowen (Alabama), Malique Ewin (Arkansas), Daquan Davis (Providence).
Best home games: Georgia (Dec. 2), Duke (Jan. 3), NC State (Jan. 10), Virginia (Feb. 10 or 11), Miami (Feb. 24 or 25).
Best road games: Florida (Nov. 11), Texas A&M at Tampa (Nov. 28), Houston (Dec. 6), Dayton (Dec. 16), UNC (Dec. 30 or 31), Clemson (Feb. 21).
Best case scenario: The Seminoles deliver a fun team that plays at a fast pace and packs the arena. There are plenty of leaders and the “chip on the shoulder” mindset serves the Seminoles well against more established hoops blue bloods. FSU navigates a tough non-conference schedule and picks up a few big wins on the road. The Seminoles run the court, make 3s, drill free-throw attempts and fight for a .500 mark in ACC play. An NIT bid is plausible for a program viewed to be among the ACC’s basement teams in the preseason. Recruits see the blueprint and player development early on, commit and sign.
Worst case scenario: Loucks is admittedly at a financial disadvantage from a revenue sharing (and NIL) standpoint compared to blue bloods like Duke, Louisville and UNC. It doesn’t mean he’s lacking money — Loucks has fundraised well — but he has had to be cautious with the budget and how he spends. That said, the lack of an alpha player and a true center show up enough and FSU falls short against more talented teams. Hamilton was able to win games because his players 6-10 were better than an opponent’s 6-10. FSU’s finances won’t allow for that luxury.
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