Head coach Luke Loucks is ready to put his mark on the Florida State Seminoles basketball program.
Today is the first official day of preseason practice for the Florida State men’s basketball team, and for the first time since 2001, someone other than Leonard Hamilton is calling the shots.
In the six months since Luke Loucks took the reins in Tallahassee, the program already looks and feels quite different compared to the last few years. Whether these changes will result in a return to the lofty levels
enjoyed by the Seminoles during Loucks’ playing days (i.e. ACC Championship level) remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: Loucks has a clear vision for this program and he’s aggressively pursuing that vision.
In the coming weeks we will have more articles and podcasts previewing the season, which officially tips off on November 4th. For now, here’s a rundown of some of the major themes and observations I’ve noticed in various off-season engagements with Coach Loucks and the team.
Modernization
Loucks’ first head coaching gig comes after spending a decade as an assistant in the NBA–half of which came with the Golden State Warriors as they were changing the geometry of the sport. So it shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone that the scheme he wants to utilize at FSU has a modern-NBA feel. More on that further down.
But it isn’t just the scheme being given a refurbishment. Quite a few aspects of the program itself are getting facelifts.
- Loucks speaks openly about his desire for changes to the practice facility and upgrades related to how the program engages in film review and player development. His goal is to make the way FSU practices and prepares for games more “NBA-like.” Some of these upgrades are already being implemented thanks to a high-six figure donation from a booster who was recognized at a summer practice. Others will be rolled out in 2026.
- Not long after Loucks took over, he announced former FSU great and current NBA player Terance Mann would be serving in an “Assistant GM” role. Loucks also plans to hire a full time GM, likely in 2026. About 10-15% of mid and high-major programs across the nation have a GM position at this time, so Florida State getting ahead of the curve will be helpful given the more limited NIL resources available to the program
- Fundraising efforts and messaging were overhauled almost overnight, again helping to supplement the administration’s NIL allocation.
Proactive Transparency
Covering FSU basketball for over a decade, I learned long ago the place to get the deepest insight from Coach Hamilton was outside the gym. Some of the best ones were the airport or Fresh Market when he was buying a holiday roast. It’s not that Hamilton closed off practice–on the contrary I always felt welcome. But he preferred to give more prepared remarks in formal media spaces and the real talk in more one-on-one settings.
Loucks comes from the NBA where media access and coverage is more robust. He understands and embraces the power of opening his program to the public. He not only welcomes the media to attend practice, he encourages media members and fans alike to really get to know his players, staff, and the stories behind their faces. I could point to examples like increased activity on social media, feature stories on every player being shared to media members, and a steady stream of appearances on podcasts and radio shows.
But that’s all low-hanging fruit. Most new coaches would do the same. Here’s a more unique example of his proactive transparency: at one practice this summer, Loucks invited each member of the media in attendance to stand up in front of the team and introduce themselves, where they write, and share a little bit of their own story. After we went down the line, Loucks told every coach and every player that they should embrace the media’s presence because the media is a “necessary component of promoting the program, but also a necessary part of holding the program accountable, and that’s what helps build a winner.”
Renewed high school recruiting focus, especially in Florida
In his very first press conference, Loucks was blunt about the amount of roster turnover this program would experience in his first year. Whether it was a difference of scheme or a difference in required mental toughness, there weren’t likely to be many familiar faces in 2025-26. True to his word, Florida State was as active as any program in the country in the transfer portal.
That said, Loucks has also stated on several occasions that in the coming years he’d like to do a bit more building from within. He’s been candid about the relatively limited amount of NIL funds Florida State has traditionally had available to throw at the latest star in the portal and has also articulated a desire to build a fence around Florida, developing home grown talent within his program. The latter strategy makes sense given his own background in the Tampa Bay area and the Sunshine State connections of many of his assistant coaches.
This Florida focus is already being seen when looking at the talent FSU is securing or pursuing for future years. The Seminoles already have three blue chip high schoolers committed in their 2026 class and all three live in or are a native of Florida.
Similarly, FSU’s offer sheet in 2027 looks more like the 2004-2012 Hamilton-era than recent years (think guys like Jason Rich, Ryan Reid, Jon Kreft, Okaro White, and yes, Luke Loucks). Some of this uptick in interest local blue chippers is undoubtedly due to the in-state connections possessed by FSU assistants like Michael Fly and Gerald Gillion, who each have tentacles embedded into the Florida AAU scene the way C.Y. had his in Georgia. But even out-of-state interest has trended up for FSU among the high school ranks, further demonstrating the high where Loucks is prioritizing his two most precious resources: time and money.
Scheduling Philosophy
When FSU released its full schedule a couple weeks ago, two things immediately jumped out to me: 1) there are more games voluntarily scheduled against potentially elite teams than FSU has had in a while; 2) there are also more games against opponents that will probably be extremely bad. (Okay, a third thing stood out and that’s how bad the home schedule is, but I digress).
Regarding the first point, Loucks stated publicly that he wanted to play all 4 teams from last year’s Final Four. With Houston and UF in the non-con and Duke in ACC play, he nearly accomplished his goal. In addition to Houston and the Gators, FSU will play typically tough squads Dayton and Texas A&M, both away from Tallahassee. There were some years under Hamilton where FSU played 3 or 4 highly ranked non-conference opponents, but those often were a product of high profile matchups in the Big 10/ACC Challenge or strong fields in early season tournaments. These four games are all scheduled as one-offs or home and homes.
Perhaps an even larger departure from recent years trends is the abundance of potentially woeful teams. Alcorn State, Alabama State, and Mississippi Valley State represent a tour-de-SWAC, traditionally one of the worst three conferences in college basketball. Add in Tennesee-Martin (undoubtedly a nod of respect to Coach Hamilton) and Cal State Bakersfield, and you have five opponents that finished 245th or worse in KenPom last season. These are the types of games you love to see, presuming the Seminoles are able to take advantage, as 40 point blowouts garner big points in the poorly weighted efficiency land of the NET.
Takeaways from a Coach Loucks practice
With preseason practice tipping off today, you might be wondering what a Luke Loucks practice looks and sounds like? If summer is any indication, they aren’t for loafers and you better bring ear plugs.
- Practice was, in a word, loud. Coaches and players were talking (yelling) the whole time. Some was encouragement, some was assignment communication, some was corrective in nature, and some was just exasperation. Regardless, there were times I couldn’t hear Curt asking a question standing 4 feet away.
- Practice featured constant motion. Loucks speaks candidly about wanting to be the fastest team in college basketball and it appears like he means business. Every drill is done with pace and energy. Even a simple three-man weave is done at breakneck speed. Perhaps it was just for summer, but it was almost as if the shot didn’t matter, only the energy with which the pass and shot was executed. And speaking of energy, it’s got to be cool as a player to see your head coach hop into the drills and go full speed or full contact with you.
- Practice featured (many) paint touches made for the purpose of kicking out. This was accomplished in several drills and in 5 on 5. The ball touched the paint on every possession and unless there was a dunk or layup available, the reason for that paint touch was a kick out to a shooter in the corner or on the wing. I’m expecting the number of corner threes attempted by FSU to at least double.
- Practice featured everyone shooting from the perimeter. And I do mean everyone. Loucks noted afterward that as the season approaches he might curtail the green light for some guys, but for now all players are go for launch. This led to some bad misses, especially as legs grew weary from the continuous up-and-down court action. However, it also allowed guys to build confidence in their shot and their teammates’ shot.
Here’s a few individual player notes, not meant to be all-inclusive, just a preseason tease:
- Lajae Jones, a St. Bonaventure transfer, is a legit 6’7 and has a sweet stroke. We saw film of him hitting 9 threes in a 10 minute scrimmage and you can see why when you see how repeatable his shot mechanics are.
- Martin Somerville (UMass Lowell transfer) can also shoot the rock, and he gets it off in a hurry.
- Thomas Bassong does not look or play like any recent European player we’ve had. His body is thick all over, while somehow still allowing him to move decently well laterally. And he attacks the rim with a desire to posterize, not lay it up.
- Cam Miles, a freshman from Chicago, is a blur on the court. He chose the right system.
