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Seminoles’ Deng Growing Accustomed To Life In The ACC
2/28/2025 9:32:00 AM | Men's Basketball
DURHAM, N.C. – Florida State's Jerry Deng was one of the most coveted players in the nation after entering his name into the NCAA transfer portal following a very successful freshman season at Hampton University. His phone rang constantly as he heard from schools from every power conference who hoped to land the well-built forward with a solid 3-point shooting stroke.
After listening to numerous coaching staffs make their pitches to land the rising sophomore, Deng put six schools on his short list – Florida State, Auburn, Florida, Georgetown, Georgia Tech, and LSU. He pledged his commitment to Seminole head coach Leonard Hamilton and his staff on March 18, 2024, and arrived on campus during the summer of 2024.
As he enters Florida State's game against Duke on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. inside Cameron Indoor Stadium, it's safe to say Deng made the right choice in choosing Florida State University to continue his academic and basketball career.
Deng enters the Seminoles' game against the Blue Devils playing the best basketball of his career.
Deng tied his career-high with four 3-point field goals and scored his Florida State and ACC career high of 16 points in the Seminoles' game against North Carolina on Monday night in Tallahassee. His four 3-point field goals increased his season total to 36 and his 3-point field goal shooting percentage to .367. Deng has now made four 3-point field goals in four different games during his career (against Mary Baldwin, James Madison, and Howard while he was at Hampton during the 2023-24 season and against North Carolina as a Seminole).
"I feel like it has been a smooth transition from playing at Hampton to playing at Florida State and in the ACC," said Deng. "Probably the biggest challenge has been the physicality; but I'm adjusting better now, and now I feel I am on the way to becoming a better all-around player than I ever have been."
Deng's recent numbers certainly illustrate his feeling after having played 27 games as a Seminole.
He is averaging 9.3 points scored while shooting .556 from the field (10 of 18) and .500 from the 3-point line in the Seminoles last three games. He has made seven 3-point shots during that stretch of games – the best 3-point shooting streak of his Florida State career. Deng ranks second on the team with 36 3-point shots made and is second among his Florida State teammates with a .367 3-point field goal shooting percentage.
In addition to his stellar 3-point shooting statistics, Deng is Florida State's sixth leading scorer (6.8 ppg), is shooting better than .720 percent from the free throw line, and totals 11 steals and seven blocked shots.
Deng's length, long arms, and ability to play defense within the Seminoles' complicated defensive system has helped Florida State lead the ACC in turnovers forced, blocked shots, and steals throughout the season. The Seminoles force their opponents into nearly 14 turnovers per game and have led the conference in blocked shots (4.8) and steals (7.9) since the first week of the season in November.
"Jerry has worked really hard to develop his game, and we are very happy with his progress," said Seminole head coach Leonard Hamilton. "He's hard-working, is very coachable, has worked on increasing his IQ for the game of basketball, and he's a good teammate. Jerry has been a very valuable addition to our team this season."
It's evident that Hamilton and the Seminoles' coaching staff have instilled a great deal of confidence in the second-year social science major for him to improve his overall game. That confidence is already helping him academically as Deng has earned better than a 3.1 grade point average in his first two semesters at Florida State.
"The coaches have taught me how to improve my body strength and knowledge of the game," said Deng. "I feel like if I do that and remain humble, the sky is the limit for me because the tools are here for me to reach my goals of playing professional basketball."
Because he is continuously improving as a player, one of the biggest challenges Deng must work to overcome is his rise on the opponents' scouting reports. As his statistics have continued to grow so has his status.
"The teams that we play are starting to key on me more than ever," said Deng. "I have to learn to be elite moving without the ball to free myself and my teammates up for shots. Coach Ham and the coaching staff have taught me that setting great screens allows all the players on the court to get open. One thing that Coach Ham has gotten across to me is that when I set good screens, there is a good chance I'll be open for a better shot."
That philosophy was evident for the Seminoles on Monday nights as they shot their ACC high of .540 from the field (27 of 50). It was the highest the Seminoles have shot from the field in ACC play this season and marked the seventh time this season they have shot 50 percent or better from the field.
Florida State is shooting a combined percentage of .513 from the field in the last three games against Miami, Louisville, and North Carolina.
For Deng, whose daily shooting routine includes making 20 form shots from five different spots close to the basket before practice, then making 200 shots after practice, his quick release on his 3-point shot is one reason he has skyrocketed on the scouting reports across the ACC this season.
Deng has made three or more 3-point shots five times this season including against LSU in the ACC/SEC Challenge when he scored 11 points on the road against the Tigers with three more coming in ACC play against Virginia Tech when he scored 11 points against the Hokies.
"I wanted to find a skill on the basketball court that I could perfect when I was younger," said Deng. "I feel like I've just had a knack for making 3-point shots."
Deng averages more than one 3-point shot made and is shooting nearly 40 percent from the 3-point line for his career.
As one of the top 3-point shooters in the ACC, the Seminoles are glad he chose to attend Florida State and even happier that he's always been an outside shooting threat.
