After the shocking transfer of starting point guard CJ Walker, Florida State was left with just one point guard on their roster. The need didn’t last as they added grad transfer point guard David Nichols. Nichols averaged 14.6 points and 3.5 assists per game as a junior for Albany. Nichols will provide much needed guard depth for Florida State, who lost Walker and Brian Angola from their backcourt last year.
Nichols is originally from Chicago, where he attended Mount Carmel before committing to Albany. At Mount Carmel he was awarded Chicago Catholic League Player of the Year in 2014. In his freshman year at Albany he struggled to earn playing time, and scored just 2.7 points per game. In his sophomore and junior seasons at Albany, he exploded onto the scene, averaging 16.3 points per game.
Nichols is a 6-foot scoring point guard who can facilitate and find open teammates. His mid range game is his biggest strength, but he can shoot the three if he’s open. He is excellent in transition and can really push the pace of a game if needed.
Assuming Phil Cofer is granted a fifth year of eligibility, the Seminoles return everyone but Walker and Angola. With the addition of Nichols, Florida State has two solid point guards in Trent Forrest and Nichols. Forrest likes to come off the bench, so Nichols will likely assume the starting role. PJ Savoy and MJ Walker will compete for the starting shooting guard position. Florida State’s two leading scorers from last year, Terrance Mann and Phil Cofer, will start at small forward and power forward, respectively. 7-foot-4 center Chris Koumadje will anchor the team inside. No matter who starts, Florida State will be extremely deep, and go 9 or 10 deep off the bench.
Coming off an Elite 8 run, it’s safe to say that there will be fairly high expectations in Tallahassee next year. Florida State will likely be a Top 15 team and with all their depth and length they’ll be a difficult matchup for anyone next year. If all goes well, Florida State could find themselves in the Elite 8 or farther.
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