With Forrest returns MJ Walker, a very highly-touted 5-star recruit back in 2017 that has yet to live up to expectations. Walker was and still will be valuable for his solid defensive play, which is aided by his 6’5” frame, but the now-junior has struggled immensely on the offensive end of the floor. In 2018-19, Walker shot just 35.3% from inside the arc and 32.8% outside the arc and was often the 4th or 5th option on the floor. This season, Walker will need to contribute more on the offensive end, especially in the shooting department. Departures of Mfiondu Kabengele and Terance Mann have left a giant scoring hole in Hamilton’s starting five.

In addition to Walker, Hamilton will hope to see a boost in production from his promising sophomore 4-man RaiQuan Gray. The 6’8” 260 lb. forward started all three games in the NCAA Tournament for FSU and showed flashes of potential for bigger things to come. Gray is a big body, but he’s most valuable as a potential floor spacer at the 4-spot. Fellow sophomore Devin Vassell should also see an uptick in minutes after shooting 41.9% from three last season. He’ll compete with a host of newcomers for a starting spot in FSU’s backcourt.

Florida State’s incoming talent will help replenish the lost production from a season ago. Two transfers, Dominik Olejniczak from Ole Miss and Malik Osborne from Rice, will bolster a depleted frontcourt. Olejniczak started 32 games for the Rebels last season and should provide a steady low block presence on either of the floor. With range out to 17 feet and an ability to finish consistently at the rim, Olejniczak is an ideal roll man in FSU ball screen sets. Osborne is a versatile power forward that can play out on the wing. He’s capable of hitting the three (though shot only 27.2% as a freshman) and quick enough to drive by slower defenders. Osborne fits the “big and athletic” mold Hamilton consistently looks for in recruits and transfers, and should be an asset on both ends of the floor.

From the JUCO ranks comes two top prospects in RayQuan Evans (#54 per JUCO Recruiting) and Nathanael Jack (#44). Evans is a big-time scorer who can handle the ball, get out in transition and finish through contact. Like Forrest, Evans will function as a defensive stopper and a freight train barreling to the hoop on offense. Jack is a knockdown shooter with a great-looking stroke and the ability to pull from anywhere. He’ll provide outside shooting alongside Vassell on the wing.

Three freshmen, Patrick Williams, Balsa Koprivica, and Naheem McLeod also join the fold this season. Williams, a 6’8” wing who ranks 28th in ESPN’s Class of 2019 rankings, is the key prospect to watch of all the newcomers. Like Osborne, Williams fits the FSU mold with his length and athleticism. He projects as a dangerous two-way player and could find himself in the starting lineup on day one. Koprivica is a top 50 recruit out of Montverde High School. The 7-footer adds to the long line of tall bigs at Florida State and should be a force protecting the rim and scoring on the block. He needs to add a little muscle this offseason, but Koprivica will be a reliable contributor down the road. McLeod, aka “Big Duke”, is a 7’4” center looking to fill the Christ Koumadje role. He’s still very raw (limited to catch and dunk), so is likely a year or two away from consistent contribution.

Hamilton’s returning talent is solid and he has the #13 incoming class in the country, but defense will be the reason FSU challenges near the top of the ACC standings. FSU has always had elite defenses under Hamilton and should once again be a top 30 unit in 2019-20 (the Noles ranked 10th per KenPom last season). Immense size across every position has been a staple of Hamilton rosters and he’ll have that once again this season. Expect to see a healthy dose of full court pressure – Hamilton pressed more in 2018-19 (30% of possessions) than he has in the past six seasons and his squad ranked 34th in the country in points per possession allowed in pressing situations (0.72 PPP), per Synergy.

Bottom Line: Despite the roster turnover, Florida State is not going anywhere. The Noles should be a top 5 or 6 ACC squad this season and earn another bid to the NCAA Tournament. If Williams can become a star right away and Walker realizes his potential, FSU could challenge for a top-3 seed in March.