Florida State forward AJ Swinton will miss the remainder of the 2026 season with a torn ACL, the program announced on Saturday
.Swinton, one of the few players to return to Tallahassee to play for Luke Loucks, suffered the injury during FSU’s win over Pittsburgh on Wednesday.
The sophomore averaged 4.5 points per game for the Seminoles this season, shooting 43.9% from the field and 32.8% from the three.
His full FSU bio:
ON SWINTON One of the most athletic players in the ACC who will look to continue
his ascension into the upper stratosphere of players in the ACC in his second season at Florida State…announced on April 2, 2025 that he would return to Florida State’s lineup to play for head coach Luke Loucks’ and his staff…displayed his incredible potential in his first season in Tallahassee as he averaged more than 10 minutes played per game, shot 36 percent from the 3-point line, and consistently showed his ability to take over a game on both the offensive and defensive sides of the court…has an incredible passion for the game of basketball…a high energy and high positivity player – traits that he shows in practice and in games…is focused on becoming a consistent player – a player that his teammates can count on to be a leader…ranked among the top 60 players in America by every scouting service as a prep star…has made his stellar reputation on two distinct aspects: his size and his length…uses his incredible length and 7-2 wingspan to protect the rim and get into, and to disrupt passing lanes…has a high basketball IQ… a confident shot-maker from multiple levels…his size and frame make him tough to guard…finishes with power at the rim…an elite defender who makes his presence felt on both ends of the court on every play…has a great touch with the basketball around the rim…has a quick first step and has become adept at beating defenders off of the dribble…is very comfortable in transition and has a penchant for rebounding and enjoys starting the primary break from his defense…has been called a younger version of former Florida State star Terance Man who is now a member of the Atlanta Hawks and is the assistant general manager of the Florida State basketball program under Luke Loucks…also reminds influencers of former Seminole star RaiQuan Gray who was a 2021 second round NBA draft selection.
AS A SOPHOMORE (2026)
Scored a career-high 12 points on 5 of 9 made field goals with 2 rebounds and 3 steals in Florida State’s 87-73 win over UT Martin at the Donald L. Tucker Center (Nov. 18)…totaled 4 points and 4 rebounds with 1 assist and 1 steal in Florida State’s 98-72 win over Georgia Southern in Tallahassee (Nov. 21)…scored 4 points with 4 rebounds, 2 steals, and 1 assist in Florida State’s 89-59 win over CSU Bakersfield in Tallahassee (Nov. 25)…scored 4 points in 12 minutes of playing time in the Seminoles’ game against Texas A&M in the Battle in the Bay in Tampa (Nov. 28)…totaled 6 points with 2 steals in 14 minutes of playing time in the Seminoles’ game against Georgia in the ACC/SEC Challenge at the Donald L. Tucker Center (Dec. 2)…tied his career and season-high with 12 points and 3 steals in Florida State’s game against UMass in the Orange Bowl Classic (Dec. 13)…a starter for the first time as a sophomore with 3 points, 2 assists, 1 blocked shot, and 1 rebound in 29 minutes of playing time (Dec. 16)…totaled 6 points with 4 rebounds, 2 steals, and 1 blocked shot in Florida State’s 96-49 win over Mississippi Valley State at the Donald L. Tucker Center (Dec. 19)…scored 6 points with 4 rebounds in 18 minutes of playing time against Wake Forest at the Donald L. Tucker Center (Jan. 17)…scored 5 points with 2 rebounds and 2 steals in Florida State’s 65-63 win over Miami in Coral Gables (Jan. 20)…totaled 6 points with 4 rebounds and 1 steal in Florida State’s 63-61 win over Cal in Tallahassee at the Donald L. Tucker Center (Jan. 28)…scored 8 points (on two made 3-point field goals) to go along with 2 blocked shots, 1 rebound, and 1 assist in the Seminoles’ victory at Notre Dame on the road in ACC play (Feb. 7)…scored 6 points with 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 1 blocked shot in Florida State’s 92-69 win over Virginia Tech on the road in ACC play (Feb. 14)…scored 2 points with 1 rebound and 1 steals in Florida State’s 70-65 win over No. 24 Clemson at Littlejohn Coliseum on the road in ACC play (Feb. 21)…scored 9 points with 1 rebound, 1 steal, and 1 blocked shot in Florida State’s game against Miami in Tallahassee (Feb. 24)…scored 7 points with 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals in Florida State’s 80-71 win over Georgia Tech at McCamish Pavilion in Atlanta (Feb. 28)…totaled 7 points, 1 rebound and 1 blocked shot in Florida State’s 75-74 win over Pitt on the road in ACC play (March 4)…AS A FRESHMAN (2025)
Averaged 2.8 points (ninth on the team) and 1.4 rebounds (ninth) while playing in 28 of Florida State’s 32 games and averaging 10.5 minutes played play game in his first season as a Seminole…earned increased playing time as he grew comfortable with Florida State’s systems as he averaged 11.0 minutes played in 16 ACC games…earned the first starting assignment of his career and responded with 9 points and 4 rebounds in 21 minutes played in Florida State’s 67-60 win over Notre Dame at the Donald L. Tucker Center (Feb. 4)…illustrated his incredible potential in back-to-back games against Boston College (10 points and 4 rebounds) and Notre Dame (9 points and 2 rebounds) as he averaged 8.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, and shot .545 from the field (six of 11) in the two games…Totaled 5 or more points six times during his freshman season: 5 against Hofstra, 8 against UMass, 6 against Western Carolina, 10 at Boston College, 9 against Notre Dame, and 7 at Duke in his first career appearance in Cameron Indoor Stadium…earned multiple assists in three different games: 2 each against Rice, LSU in the ACC/SEC Challenge, and at Clemson in ACC play…scored 3 points with 1 rebound in his career debut in Florida State’s 74-62 win over Northern Kentucky at the Donald L. Tucker Center (Nov. 4)…earned his career-high of 4 rebounds in Florida State’s win at home against Tarleton State (Nov 12)…totaled 4 points and 2 assists in 5 minutes of playing time in the Seminoles’ 73-65 win over Rice at the Toyota Center in Houston (Nov. 9)…totaled 4 rebounds in 14 minutes of playing time in Florida State’s win over Tarleton State at the Donald L. Tucker Center (Nov. 12)…scored 5 points with 1 rebound, and 1 blocked shot in Florida State’s 79-61 win over Hofstra at the Donald L. Tucker Center (Nov. 19)…totaled 8 points and 1 steal in 15 minutes of playing time against UMass in the Seminoles’ 92-59 win in their final game of the 2024 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off (Nov. 24)…totaled his career-high of 10 points with a career-high 4 rebounds in 18 minutes of playing time at Boston College in ACC play (Feb. 1)…totaled 6 points on 2 made 3-point field goals (both in the second half) in Florida State’s 74-66 win over Miami in Tallahassee (Feb. 19)…the crowning achievement of Swinton’s first collegiate season came in the Seminoles’ victory at home against Miami when he made two of the biggest shots of the season – within 33 seconds of each other – making two 3-point shots in the second half of the Seminoles’ victory over the Hurricanes…his shots helped the Seminoles erase a three point second half deficit and sent the Seminoles to their 14th win over the Hurricanes in the last 15 games between the two teams…his first 3-pointer broke a 45-45 tie and gave the Seminoles a 48-45 lead and the second gave Florida State a six point advantage with a 53-47 lead – a lead that never dropped below five as Florida State earned the win…totaled 7 points with 2 rebounds in Florida State’s game at Duke in Cameron Indoor Stadium (March 1).AT BISHOP O’CONNELL
Graduated from Bishop O’Connell High School in 2024…Attended Bishop O’Connell in Arlington, Va., during the 2023-24 season…was a 2024 McDonald’s All-American game nominee…led Bishop O’Connell to a 23-9 record in his only season at the Washington, D.C. based school…averaged 8.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.8 assists during the 2023-24 season…team was ranked 13th by the Washington Post among D.C. area schools…ranked withing the nation’s top-15 prep teams during his senior season…earned WCAC Honorable mention honors as named by the Washington Post…named to the All-Tournament team at the Beach Ball Classic in Myrtle Beach…scored 10 point in Bishop O’Connell’s championship game victory over previously undefeated Great Crossing (Kentucky), 77-74, in double overtime…he totaled six points with five rebounds, and three blocked shots in the Knight’s semifinal victory over North Crowley (Texas) and totaled 17 points in a first round win over North Myrtle Beach…During their season he helped O’Connell to a victory over No. 1 ranked Gonzaga during his one season with the Knights.AT OAK HILL
Attended the legendary Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, VA during the 2022-23 season where he averaged 12 points, 6 assists, 1.2 blocked shots as a junior.AT DEMATHA
Began his outstanding prep career at the famed DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville, Md., in the 2021-22 season…earned All-WCAC Honorable Mention honors from the Washington Post as a sophomore….averaged 7.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.3 blocked shots, 1.2 assists and 1.0 steals in 28 games as a sophomore…made 36 3-point field goals and shot 35 percent from the 3-point line in his one season at DeMatha…scored over 400 points at the end of his sophomore year at DeMatha…led DeMatha to the Alhambra Catholic Invitational Tournament title during his sophomore season…the Stags finished the Alhambra tournament with victories over Bishop Walsh, St. Frances and rival Paul VI in the championship game.PERSONAL
Born August 13, 2005…AJ is the son of Danielle Swinton…has one brother, DJ (14)…AJ selected Florida State over Virginia Tech, West Virginia, Maryland, Georgetown, Ohio State, George Mason, and Howard…major is public relations.
