TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (seminoles.com) — With the fourth pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Toronto Raptors have selected Florida State’s Scottie Barnes, making him the third top four NBA Draft pick in the history of the Seminole program. Barnes, who helped lead the Florida State to the Sweet 16 of the 2021 NCAA Tournament earned All-ACC Third Team Honors, was named the ACC Sixth Man, and the ACC Freshman of the Year in his only season at Florida State in 2020-21.
Barnes is the third top four pick in program history, with Patrick Williams going No. 4 to the Chicago Bulls in 2020 and Dave Cowens earning the No. 4 selection by the Boston Celtics in 1970.
“I just want to be great,” said Barnes soon after he was selected. “I’m a great person, I’m a great teammate, I’m a great player, I want to be known for someone that just puts in the time, puts in the work, someone that’s great, that just does it all. Striving for greatness I’m going to keep working, staying in the gym, I just want to leave that legacy that I’m that guy that I can really be.”
With the selections of Barnes at No. 4 in 2021 and Williams at No. 4 in 2020, Leonard Hamilton’s program at Florida State is the only collegiate program in the nation with a top-five pick in each of the last two NBA Drafts.
Barnes is just the fourth one-and-done player in Florida State history, joining former Seminoles Malik Beasley (first round pick of the Denver Nuggets in 2016), Jonathan Isaac (first round Draft Lottery pick of the Orlando Magic in 2017), and Patrick Williams (first round Draft Lottery pick of the Chicago Bulls in 2020).
Barnes is the sixth NBA Draft Lottery pick in school history. He joins a talented list of Seminoles selected in the draft lottery: Patrick Williams (No. 4 overall, 2020, Chicago Bulls), Barnes (No. 4 overall, 2021 Totonto Raptors), Jonathan Isaac (No. 6 overall, 2017, Orlando Magic), George McCloud (No. 7 overall, 1989, Indiana Pacers), Devin Vassell (No. 11 overall, 2020, San Antonio Spurs) and Al Thornton (No. 14 overall, 2007, Los Angeles Clippers).
Barnes led Florida State to an 18-7 overall record and to an 11-4 mark in ACC play during the 2020-21 season. The Seminoles finished in second place in the ACC regular season standings, played in the championship game of the ACC Tournament for the fourth time in school history, and advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
Barnes averaged 10.3 points (third on the team), 4.0 rebounds (fifth), 4.1 assists (first), 1.5 steals (first) and 0.4 blocked shots (fourth) in his only season as a Seminole. He earned All-American Honorable Mention honors as named by the Associated Press. Barnes earned All-ACC Tournament Second-Team selection in leading the Seminoles to the championship game of the ACC Tournament.
For Florida State’s Leonard Hamilton, Barnes is the 11th first round pick in his head coaching career. He has now coached 12 first round picks, including nine first round picks at Florida State. Hamilton’s first round picks at Florida State include Thornton (Los Angeles Clippers, 2007), Toney Douglas (Los Angeles Lakers, 2009), Chris Singleton (Washington Wizards, 2011), Malik Beasley (Denver Nuggets, 2016), Jonathan Isaac (Orlando Magic, 2017), Mfiondu Kabengele (New Jersey Nets, 2019), Williams (Chicago Bulls, 2020), Vassell (San Antonio Spurs, 2020 and now Barnes.
“This is a great place for Scottie to begin his NBA career,” said Hamilton. “He’s just what Toronto needs. Great place for him. Great coach. Great organization. It is a great place for him to start. They have won a World Championship. The Raptors organization has a winning DNA. He is going to be a great teammate. We are all very excited for him and looking forward to him being a great NBA player.”
A total of 17 Seminoles have been selected in the NBA Draft in Hamilton’s 19 seasons as Florida State’s head coach.
“We like his versatility,” said Raptor head coach Nick Nurse. “I think he’ll rebound it, he’ll guard, he can switch, he can guard multiple positions and he’s big enough to guard bigs down inside. He’s big enough to rebound with bigs. And, yes, we like to rebound and go; to get out.”
The Raptors also studied Barnes off the court.
“This guy (Scottie) really has a great understanding of IQ. We talked a lot about his coach (Leonard Hamilton). I think one of the big things is he really has a magnetic personality. He is very high-energy type pf personality even when he is just sitting around talking. He is a great communicator and he does have a passion for being Scottie Barnes. He has a passion for playing winning basketball. He talks about that a lot. He’s a very interesting person.”
