Florida State University Athletics
AJ Swinton: Daily Improvement Is His Main Goal
9/8/2025 4:59:00 PM | Men's Basketball
TALLAHASSEE – The word that best describes Florida State sophomore AJ Swinton is improvement.
He's set many goals for himself and his teammates for not only this season, but for the exciting basketball career that is ahead for the 6-7 swingman.
Swinton is working to become a better shooter which will help him become a more prolific scorer. He hopes to increase his conditioning in order to play head coach Luke Loucks' up-tempo offensive and defensive schemes. He also wants to be better at taking advice from his teammates in the heat of a play on the court.
"It's definitely been interesting trying to find my place as a sophomore and playing with a talented group of incoming seniors," said Swinton. "Our practices during the summer challenged me. It wasn't easy. But it made me realize what I need to improve, not just on the court but off the court as well."
As a freshman, Swinton played in 28 of Florida State's 32 games and showed flashes of being a dominant player. He averaged more than 10 minutes played per game, shot 36 percent from the 3-point line, and displayed his ability to take over a game on both the offensive and defensive sides of the court many times during the season.
As a starter against Notre Dame in February of 2025, Swinton totaled nine points, with two rebounds, one assist, and one steal. He enjoyed a strong outing at Boston College. He totaled 10 points with four rebounds, while hitting a pair of first half 3-pointers.
The best game of his inaugural collegiate season came in a victory at home against Miami. In the Seminoles' 74-66 win over the Hurricanes, he made two of the biggest shots of the season – within 33 seconds of each other. Swinton's shots helped the Seminoles erase a three-point second half deficit and sent the Seminoles to their 14th win over the Hurricanes in the last 15 games between the two teams.
"I want to become more of a consistent threat offensively," said Swinton. "I feel like I was able to show flashes as a freshman, but I feel want to become more confident in my offensive skill set as a sophomore."
Within the fast-paced system that Loucks and his staff have installed leading into the preseason, it looks as though Swinton has found his basketball niche. Florida State begins its official practices in late September in preparation for its season opener on November 4 in the Donald L. Tucker Center.
"Coach Loucks and his staff really want us to push the floor and score fast," said Swinton, who first picked up a basketball when he was four years old. "He then wants us to get back on defense just as quickly."
It's an offensive philosophy that allowed the Sacramento Kings to rank in the top-10 in scoring and advance to the NBA Playoffs during the 2022-23 season.
Loucks, along with associate head coach Jim Moran and the entire Seminole staff, have brought their NBA knowledge to Tallahassee and are preparing the Seminoles for their first seasons as collegiate head coaches.
"We really believe in our system, and our guys have worked hard to pick it up quickly," said Loucks. "We definitely have made strides and have the players in place to play hard for 40 minutes. All of our players are on the same page about what it is s going to take to win."Swinton showed flashes of what Loucks saw in him during the second half of his freshman season. Those flashes which convinced Loucks that the native of Cabin John, Md. needed to be on his first Florida State roster.
"On the court, we have become connected by communicating constantly during practices," said Swinton. "It comes down to understanding each other's tendencies and trusting each other to make plays. Off the court, we build our bond by hanging out together, supporting each other through challenges, and spending time as friends. These shared experiences help us stay close and perform better as a team."
Swinton is driven to be a successful student-athlete at Florida State University by his coaches, his teammates, and especially his mother, Danielle.
"Each one of my teammates has shared their own experiences with each other," said Swinton. "Learning about all of my guys allows me to be a better teammate. It also allows each one of us to trust and be confident in each other."
But it's his mom who is his biggest fan and who has supported his basketball journey throughout his career.
"My biggest inspiration is my mother," said Swinton. "I watch her work hard trying to make me and my brother better people. That's what's most important to me – being a better person. My mom helps me with that every day."
Daily improvement as a person and player for the Seminole basketball team – that's what drives AJ Swinton.
He's set many goals for himself and his teammates for not only this season, but for the exciting basketball career that is ahead for the 6-7 swingman.
Swinton is working to become a better shooter which will help him become a more prolific scorer. He hopes to increase his conditioning in order to play head coach Luke Loucks' up-tempo offensive and defensive schemes. He also wants to be better at taking advice from his teammates in the heat of a play on the court.
"It's definitely been interesting trying to find my place as a sophomore and playing with a talented group of incoming seniors," said Swinton. "Our practices during the summer challenged me. It wasn't easy. But it made me realize what I need to improve, not just on the court but off the court as well."
As a freshman, Swinton played in 28 of Florida State's 32 games and showed flashes of being a dominant player. He averaged more than 10 minutes played per game, shot 36 percent from the 3-point line, and displayed his ability to take over a game on both the offensive and defensive sides of the court many times during the season.
As a starter against Notre Dame in February of 2025, Swinton totaled nine points, with two rebounds, one assist, and one steal. He enjoyed a strong outing at Boston College. He totaled 10 points with four rebounds, while hitting a pair of first half 3-pointers.
The best game of his inaugural collegiate season came in a victory at home against Miami. In the Seminoles' 74-66 win over the Hurricanes, he made two of the biggest shots of the season – within 33 seconds of each other. Swinton's shots helped the Seminoles erase a three-point second half deficit and sent the Seminoles to their 14th win over the Hurricanes in the last 15 games between the two teams.
"I want to become more of a consistent threat offensively," said Swinton. "I feel like I was able to show flashes as a freshman, but I feel want to become more confident in my offensive skill set as a sophomore."
Within the fast-paced system that Loucks and his staff have installed leading into the preseason, it looks as though Swinton has found his basketball niche. Florida State begins its official practices in late September in preparation for its season opener on November 4 in the Donald L. Tucker Center.
"Coach Loucks and his staff really want us to push the floor and score fast," said Swinton, who first picked up a basketball when he was four years old. "He then wants us to get back on defense just as quickly."
It's an offensive philosophy that allowed the Sacramento Kings to rank in the top-10 in scoring and advance to the NBA Playoffs during the 2022-23 season.
Loucks, along with associate head coach Jim Moran and the entire Seminole staff, have brought their NBA knowledge to Tallahassee and are preparing the Seminoles for their first seasons as collegiate head coaches.
"We really believe in our system, and our guys have worked hard to pick it up quickly," said Loucks. "We definitely have made strides and have the players in place to play hard for 40 minutes. All of our players are on the same page about what it is s going to take to win."Swinton showed flashes of what Loucks saw in him during the second half of his freshman season. Those flashes which convinced Loucks that the native of Cabin John, Md. needed to be on his first Florida State roster.
"On the court, we have become connected by communicating constantly during practices," said Swinton. "It comes down to understanding each other's tendencies and trusting each other to make plays. Off the court, we build our bond by hanging out together, supporting each other through challenges, and spending time as friends. These shared experiences help us stay close and perform better as a team."
Swinton is driven to be a successful student-athlete at Florida State University by his coaches, his teammates, and especially his mother, Danielle.
"Each one of my teammates has shared their own experiences with each other," said Swinton. "Learning about all of my guys allows me to be a better teammate. It also allows each one of us to trust and be confident in each other."
But it's his mom who is his biggest fan and who has supported his basketball journey throughout his career.
"My biggest inspiration is my mother," said Swinton. "I watch her work hard trying to make me and my brother better people. That's what's most important to me – being a better person. My mom helps me with that every day."
Daily improvement as a person and player for the Seminole basketball team – that's what drives AJ Swinton.
Players Mentioned
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