New Rivals Recruiting Update gives FSU Basketball three top-100 signees
Rivals released a new edition of its 2026 basketball recruiting rankings on Monday, and Florida State now has three top-100 players in its signing class, according to the update.
Brandon Bass Jr. rose from 109th to 93rd, which puts him inside the top 100 with Florida State four-star center commit Marcis Ponder and four-star combo guard Martay Barnes.
The Seminoles went head-to-head with Purdue to land Bass, and the opportunity to stay close to home (Orlando) played a huge role in his decision.
Bass, whose father enjoyed a lengthy NBA career, is expected to be one of Florida State’s top perimeter scorers as soon as he arrives on campus this summer.
“Brandon is one of the best shooters in high school basketball, and we think that immediately translates to our system and style of play,” FSU head coach Luke Loucks said. “He is crafty with the ball, can play off the bounce and is a good athlete around the basket. But his superpower is his jump shot. I love that he has been well-coached and understands what goes into winning at the highest level. He’s been around the game his entire life.”
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As for the rest of the class, they all fell slightly in the Rivals rankings.
Ponder, a 7-foot center who has been dubbed, “Baby Shaq,” moved down one spot from 50th to 51st, and Barnes went from 75th to 85th.
Collin Paul took the biggest hit, going from 110th to 130th in the new rankings. However, that dip may be a result of Paul not playing his senior season in high school due to an ACL injury sustained last summer. Paul is expected to be cleared to play when he arrives on campus in the next couple of weeks.
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