How does Leonard Hamilton sign so many talented recruits?

Florida State Men’s Basketball hasn’t made the NCAA Tournament since 1998. I wasn’t even enrolled there at the time, but 10 years later and currently enrolled in school and as a writer for the sports section in the university’s newspaper, the FSView & Florida Flambeau, I have to ask: How does current coach Leonard Hamilton sign his recruits?

Heading into this 2008-2009 season, the Noles solidified a Top 10 Recruiting class, according to Rivals.com, by bringing in Chris Singleton (No. 12 overall/No.3 SF), Xavier Gibson (No.18 PF), Deividas Dulkys (No.14 SG) and Luke Loucks (No.13 PG). Even more recent was the announcement and National Letter of Intent signing by Michael Snaer, the California shooting guard ranked 11th overall in the 2009 class, and 5th in rank of shooting guards. I’m not complaining here, but just follow me.

We know Snaer can play ball. How? Look at his other offers: Florida State was his second official visit out of five schools, two of which made the trip to last year’s final four (UCLA & Kansas). The other two schools: Marquette and Missouri, so I’d put FSU ranked 5th on that list in terms of amount of post-season play.

UCLA & Kansas speak for themselves when it comes to recruiting talent, but just think for a second about the type of role Snaer would have played if signed at other schools. Marquette’s shooting guard is Wesley Matthews and occasionally Jerel McNeal. Both of whom are seniors and wouldn’t steal any of Snaer’s minutes. What about Kansas? They’re having a rebuilding year as we speak losing players to the NBA draft, and by the way, they just won the National Championship! You can’t rein any more publicity than that. I’m not even going to talk about Ben Howland and UCLA being publicized around the country with their three consecutive final four trips…wait…I guess I just did.

So how does Hamilton do it?

Does Snaer mention he just wants to play for a year or two and go pro? If so, why FSU? The only publicity Tallahassee has gotten recently had to do with the football team throwing chairs and starting fights in the student union. I’ve thought of bringing out the investigative side of my journalistic career at Florida State by finding out when these high school recruits come to town and follow them around, but they may just scare the kid.

- Al Buzzelli