Florida State University Athletics
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For Jamir Watkins -- It Was Always Florida State
6/13/2024 9:16:00 AM | Men's Basketball
TALLAHASSEE – First it was the NBA Draft Combine. Then came workouts with Sacramento, Portland, Denver, Charlotte, and Milwaukee.
But in the end, for Jamir Watkins, it was all about Florida State and Head Coach Leonard Hamilton.
"I feel like it was a fun process; it was a good experience," said Watkins, who is the Seminoles' leading returning scorer and rebounder entering the 2024-25 season. "I got to work out for a bunch of teams, and I'm glad I got that experience."
Following the conclusion of the 2024 season, and after many hours of discussions with his family, Watkins decided to enter his name for the 2024 NBA Draft on April 24. Between then and June 7, Watkins says he learned a lot about his game and how to become a better player.
Watkins, who earned All-ACC Honorable Mention honors in his first season as a Seminole, averaged a team-leading and career-high 15.6 points and a team-leading and a career-high 6.0 rebounds. He closed this season on a 19-game double-figure scoring streak, during which he scored 337 points and averaged 17.8 points scored per game. Included in that streak was a school-record 34-point performance in Florida State's ACC Tournament victory over Virginia Tech.
During his double-figure scoring streak, Watkins scored 34 against Virginia Tech, 27 in a victory at Syracuse, 26 on the road at Virginia Tech, and 22 in a win over Boston College at the Donald L. Tucker Center. He finished 12th in the ACC in scoring and was one of just 16 players in the top collegiate basketball league in the nation to score 500 or more points in 2024.
"The (NBA executives) love my high energy and my physicality," said Watkins. "They thought I needed to improve on my reads throughout ball screens, improve my 3-point shot making, and staying consistent."
Watkins enjoyed his best season as a collegiate player in his first season as a Seminole. Not only was he Florida State's leading scorer and rebounder, but he led the team in steals with 64 (1.9.spg), ranked second in assists with 91 (2.8 apg) and led the Seminoles from the free throw line with 163 free throws made and a career-high .795 free throw shooting percentage.
Returning for his final collegiate season, one of the aspects of his game that he wants to improve upon is his leadership among his teammates.
"With me, I like to lead by example," said Watkins. "I understand how my teammates take things. I try to lead by example, to get my point across to guys on the side. I don't want to call people out in front of everyone because I understand how that feels and how it makes people feel. I'm more of a lead-by-example guy."
One way he hopes to lead his new teammates during the upcoming season is to explain the realities of the NBA Draft process.
"I want to show the guys what I went through as far as the process and what it's going to take," said Watkins. "I know there are a lot of guys on our team who want to be at that level as well. I'm going to give them pointers from what I saw of me going through the process. Hopefully that can help us as a team, and make us all better."
Throughout the nearly two-month period, Watkins remained in contact with Hamilton and his staff.
"I was always communicating with them (the Seminoles' coaching staff) throughout the whole process," said Watkins. "Me coming back was a no-brainer."
Watkins admits that numerous other schools tried to entice him with lucrative NIL deals, but his desire to be a part of the Seminole family was more important to him than any deal he could make with another NCAA Division I school.
"Other schools were big on NIL stuff," said Watkins. "For me already being here at Florida State, I wasn't really worried about the NIL stuff. I wanted to be part of team that was going to look at me for who I was."
Watkins said that he did not personally talk to any other schools while he was in the transfer portal and that he relied on his mother's intuition to handle all the information coming his way from numerous teams around the country.
"I was blessed to go through the process," said Watkins. "To be invited to go to the combine, to be able to work out for teams, it was a blessing. I'm going to take it all in, apply it to this year, and going back into it next year, I'll be in a way better position."
Watkins will realize one of the hidden advantages of going through the NBA Draft process as the Seminoles begin team workouts early next week.
"Going through the process helped me a lot," said Watkins. "I stayed in shape throughout the summer. I feel like when I get on the court it will give me the advantage that I need to be where I need to be. It puts me in a great position."
When asked for Hamilton's reaction when he called to give the 23rd-year coach the good news, Watkins said the Hall of Fame coach was his usual self.
"He was really excited. He's always an excited man, so he was very excited," said Watkins. "Coach Hamilton is going to put me in a position to do what I need to do as far as getting better for next year."
Watkins' knew all along that the process would lead him to where he always wanted to be.
"I was always texting Coach Ham and Coach Nickelberry about coming back to Florida State," said Watkins. "It all led me back here."
But in the end, for Jamir Watkins, it was all about Florida State and Head Coach Leonard Hamilton.
"I feel like it was a fun process; it was a good experience," said Watkins, who is the Seminoles' leading returning scorer and rebounder entering the 2024-25 season. "I got to work out for a bunch of teams, and I'm glad I got that experience."
Following the conclusion of the 2024 season, and after many hours of discussions with his family, Watkins decided to enter his name for the 2024 NBA Draft on April 24. Between then and June 7, Watkins says he learned a lot about his game and how to become a better player.
Watkins, who earned All-ACC Honorable Mention honors in his first season as a Seminole, averaged a team-leading and career-high 15.6 points and a team-leading and a career-high 6.0 rebounds. He closed this season on a 19-game double-figure scoring streak, during which he scored 337 points and averaged 17.8 points scored per game. Included in that streak was a school-record 34-point performance in Florida State's ACC Tournament victory over Virginia Tech.
During his double-figure scoring streak, Watkins scored 34 against Virginia Tech, 27 in a victory at Syracuse, 26 on the road at Virginia Tech, and 22 in a win over Boston College at the Donald L. Tucker Center. He finished 12th in the ACC in scoring and was one of just 16 players in the top collegiate basketball league in the nation to score 500 or more points in 2024.
"The (NBA executives) love my high energy and my physicality," said Watkins. "They thought I needed to improve on my reads throughout ball screens, improve my 3-point shot making, and staying consistent."
Watkins enjoyed his best season as a collegiate player in his first season as a Seminole. Not only was he Florida State's leading scorer and rebounder, but he led the team in steals with 64 (1.9.spg), ranked second in assists with 91 (2.8 apg) and led the Seminoles from the free throw line with 163 free throws made and a career-high .795 free throw shooting percentage.
Returning for his final collegiate season, one of the aspects of his game that he wants to improve upon is his leadership among his teammates.
"With me, I like to lead by example," said Watkins. "I understand how my teammates take things. I try to lead by example, to get my point across to guys on the side. I don't want to call people out in front of everyone because I understand how that feels and how it makes people feel. I'm more of a lead-by-example guy."
One way he hopes to lead his new teammates during the upcoming season is to explain the realities of the NBA Draft process.
"I want to show the guys what I went through as far as the process and what it's going to take," said Watkins. "I know there are a lot of guys on our team who want to be at that level as well. I'm going to give them pointers from what I saw of me going through the process. Hopefully that can help us as a team, and make us all better."
Throughout the nearly two-month period, Watkins remained in contact with Hamilton and his staff.
"I was always communicating with them (the Seminoles' coaching staff) throughout the whole process," said Watkins. "Me coming back was a no-brainer."
Watkins admits that numerous other schools tried to entice him with lucrative NIL deals, but his desire to be a part of the Seminole family was more important to him than any deal he could make with another NCAA Division I school.
"Other schools were big on NIL stuff," said Watkins. "For me already being here at Florida State, I wasn't really worried about the NIL stuff. I wanted to be part of team that was going to look at me for who I was."
Watkins said that he did not personally talk to any other schools while he was in the transfer portal and that he relied on his mother's intuition to handle all the information coming his way from numerous teams around the country.
"I was blessed to go through the process," said Watkins. "To be invited to go to the combine, to be able to work out for teams, it was a blessing. I'm going to take it all in, apply it to this year, and going back into it next year, I'll be in a way better position."
Watkins will realize one of the hidden advantages of going through the NBA Draft process as the Seminoles begin team workouts early next week.
"Going through the process helped me a lot," said Watkins. "I stayed in shape throughout the summer. I feel like when I get on the court it will give me the advantage that I need to be where I need to be. It puts me in a great position."
When asked for Hamilton's reaction when he called to give the 23rd-year coach the good news, Watkins said the Hall of Fame coach was his usual self.
"He was really excited. He's always an excited man, so he was very excited," said Watkins. "Coach Hamilton is going to put me in a position to do what I need to do as far as getting better for next year."
Watkins' knew all along that the process would lead him to where he always wanted to be.
"I was always texting Coach Ham and Coach Nickelberry about coming back to Florida State," said Watkins. "It all led me back here."
Players Mentioned
Forward
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