Florida State University Athletics
Saturday, December 16
Tallahassee, Fla.
8:00 p.m.
Florida State
vs
SMU
Warley Leads Seminoles Against SMU Saturday At 8:00 p.m.
12/14/2023 2:35:00 PM | Men's Basketball
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - From the historic basketball city of Philadelphia, where there are multiple basketball courts in every park in the city, Seminole point guard Jalen Warley truly comes from basketball royalty. Since he can remember picking up a basketball, he has had some of the greatest names in the sport – both professional and college players – on the bench with him.
Warley's dad, Jason Warley, played at St. Joseph's University in downtown Philadelphia (1991-92). His dad's godfather was the great Wilt Chamberlain.
Warley's grandfather, Ben Warley, played at Tennessee State (1957-60) before a distinguished career in the ABA. He was then a First Round NBA Draft pick by the Syracuse Nationals (with the sixth overall selection) and scored nearly 1,800 points as he played the better part of five NBA seasons with the Nationals, Baltimore Bullets, and the Philadelphia 76'ers.
He is the nephew of former St. Joseph's star Carlin Warley (1992-95), a two-time All-Atlantic 10 First Team selection who averaged 13.0 points scored per game in 114 career games played. His cousin, Courtney Warley, completed her career as a member of the Manhattan College Women's Basketball team in 2022. She finished her career ranked second in career rebounds (1,206) and fifth in blocked shots (114) along with having scored nearly 1,300 points during her collegiate career.
"My basketball career has honestly been a blessing because of the great players and coaches I've had in my corner my whole life," said Warley, who is now in his third season as a Seminole. "It's really amazing to think about the people who shaped my first memories of the game that I love to play."
Warley and his teammates play host to SMU in the first of seven consecutive home games on Saturday, December 16, at 8:00 p.m. inside the Donald L. Tucker Center. The game will be the Mustang's second-ever visit to the Tucker Center, but their first as a future member of the ACC. The nationally-ranked private university located near the heart of Dallas is a distinguished center for global research and teaching, and will become one of the three newest members of the ACC on July 1, 2024.
Despite his basketball heritage, Warley himself was not forced to play the family sport. He excelled on the football field as a safety and a wide receiver. He stopped playing football only because his high school didn't sponsor a team.
"I'll always appreciate my dad not forcing me to play basketball," said Warley. "I'll always know that I fell in love with the game of basketball naturally because my parents allowed me to play other sports. I'm very thankful for being allowed to play football. I love playing basketball even more because my parents did not steer me into the game. They allowed me to make my choice."
Warley's most vivid memories of growing up on the courts of Philadelphia are playing at the famous Finley Recreation Center. It was there that Chamberlain, Hank Gathers, Kobe Bryant, Rasheed Wallace and so many other of the storied greats in the history of Philadelphia basketball first began drafting their legendary stories.
"My earliest memories of playing basketball were at the Finley Recreation Center," said Warley. "I won my first city championship at Finley. It's also the same place my dad and uncle played and won championships."
Warley also remembers what another motivation the helped him gravitate to the sport of basketball.
"I was not alive to watch my grandfather play in the NBA," said Warley who was born in 2003. "Among the many things I cherished growing up was always looking at his NBA jersey still hangs in the house I grew up in. That was a great sense of motivation for me while I was growing up."
Warley, who began writing his own story as a prep star growing up just north of Philadelphia, was born just over under a year before his grandfather passed.
He was nominated as a McDonald's All-American when he averaged 15.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 7.0 assists as a prep senior. Warley was a Pennsylvania All-State First-Team selection as both a junior and as a senior, and named as the best player in the state of Pennsylvania by MaxPreps as a senior. He led the Westtown School to the Pennsylvania Independent Schools State Championship as a junior in 2020 and as a sophomore in 2019.
At Florida State, he's closing in on some program milestones and improving his all-around play every day. He was named to the All-Tournament team at the Sunshine Slam as he helped the Seminoles defeat No. 18 Colorado in the Championship game. He's played in wins over nationally ranked teams – including No. 7 Duke during his freshman season. He's also helped the Seminoles earn four of their 14 consecutive overtime wins which is an ongoing all-time NCAA record.
With Jalen at the point, the Warley's extended family tree would have made up an incredible starting five. Along with Jalen, Ben was an exciting, high-scoring combo-guard, while Jason and Courtney were punishing forwards and Carlin was a bruising center during his college career.
"I definitely would say basketball is in my blood," said Warley. "I've been exposed to the game since the day I was born. While I was growing up, players who competed against my dad and my grandpa would tell me stories of what it was like to play with and against them.
"The Warley name is known for basketball in the city of Philadelphia. I feel I was destined to play the sport."
Warley's dad, Jason Warley, played at St. Joseph's University in downtown Philadelphia (1991-92). His dad's godfather was the great Wilt Chamberlain.
Warley's grandfather, Ben Warley, played at Tennessee State (1957-60) before a distinguished career in the ABA. He was then a First Round NBA Draft pick by the Syracuse Nationals (with the sixth overall selection) and scored nearly 1,800 points as he played the better part of five NBA seasons with the Nationals, Baltimore Bullets, and the Philadelphia 76'ers.
He is the nephew of former St. Joseph's star Carlin Warley (1992-95), a two-time All-Atlantic 10 First Team selection who averaged 13.0 points scored per game in 114 career games played. His cousin, Courtney Warley, completed her career as a member of the Manhattan College Women's Basketball team in 2022. She finished her career ranked second in career rebounds (1,206) and fifth in blocked shots (114) along with having scored nearly 1,300 points during her collegiate career.
"My basketball career has honestly been a blessing because of the great players and coaches I've had in my corner my whole life," said Warley, who is now in his third season as a Seminole. "It's really amazing to think about the people who shaped my first memories of the game that I love to play."
Warley and his teammates play host to SMU in the first of seven consecutive home games on Saturday, December 16, at 8:00 p.m. inside the Donald L. Tucker Center. The game will be the Mustang's second-ever visit to the Tucker Center, but their first as a future member of the ACC. The nationally-ranked private university located near the heart of Dallas is a distinguished center for global research and teaching, and will become one of the three newest members of the ACC on July 1, 2024.
Despite his basketball heritage, Warley himself was not forced to play the family sport. He excelled on the football field as a safety and a wide receiver. He stopped playing football only because his high school didn't sponsor a team.
"I'll always appreciate my dad not forcing me to play basketball," said Warley. "I'll always know that I fell in love with the game of basketball naturally because my parents allowed me to play other sports. I'm very thankful for being allowed to play football. I love playing basketball even more because my parents did not steer me into the game. They allowed me to make my choice."
Warley's most vivid memories of growing up on the courts of Philadelphia are playing at the famous Finley Recreation Center. It was there that Chamberlain, Hank Gathers, Kobe Bryant, Rasheed Wallace and so many other of the storied greats in the history of Philadelphia basketball first began drafting their legendary stories.
"My earliest memories of playing basketball were at the Finley Recreation Center," said Warley. "I won my first city championship at Finley. It's also the same place my dad and uncle played and won championships."
Warley also remembers what another motivation the helped him gravitate to the sport of basketball.
"I was not alive to watch my grandfather play in the NBA," said Warley who was born in 2003. "Among the many things I cherished growing up was always looking at his NBA jersey still hangs in the house I grew up in. That was a great sense of motivation for me while I was growing up."
Warley, who began writing his own story as a prep star growing up just north of Philadelphia, was born just over under a year before his grandfather passed.
He was nominated as a McDonald's All-American when he averaged 15.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 7.0 assists as a prep senior. Warley was a Pennsylvania All-State First-Team selection as both a junior and as a senior, and named as the best player in the state of Pennsylvania by MaxPreps as a senior. He led the Westtown School to the Pennsylvania Independent Schools State Championship as a junior in 2020 and as a sophomore in 2019.
At Florida State, he's closing in on some program milestones and improving his all-around play every day. He was named to the All-Tournament team at the Sunshine Slam as he helped the Seminoles defeat No. 18 Colorado in the Championship game. He's played in wins over nationally ranked teams – including No. 7 Duke during his freshman season. He's also helped the Seminoles earn four of their 14 consecutive overtime wins which is an ongoing all-time NCAA record.
With Jalen at the point, the Warley's extended family tree would have made up an incredible starting five. Along with Jalen, Ben was an exciting, high-scoring combo-guard, while Jason and Courtney were punishing forwards and Carlin was a bruising center during his college career.
"I definitely would say basketball is in my blood," said Warley. "I've been exposed to the game since the day I was born. While I was growing up, players who competed against my dad and my grandpa would tell me stories of what it was like to play with and against them.
"The Warley name is known for basketball in the city of Philadelphia. I feel I was destined to play the sport."
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