Commitment Breakdown: Taylor Bowen picks Florida State
Florida State landed its first commitment of the 2023 class on Saturday, when four-star forward Taylor Bowen announced his intention to sign with the Seminoles. The No. 24 prospect in the 2023 class, the agile, 6-foot-7 Bowen is in the mold of a long list of prospects that have thrived under Leonard Hamilton in the past.
Below, Rivals.com has a look at what FSU is getting and what it means for the big picture.
WHAT FLORIDA STATE IS GETTING
From a fit standpoint, it’s easy to see why Bowen and the Seminoles are a match. The 6-foot-7 forward brings the type of length and versatility head coach Leonard Hamilton has long valued. That said, he’s not all size. Bowen is incredibly athletic and mobile for a player of his stature and is becoming a much better shooter from range. His calling card, however, is his ability to attack the rim and create transition buckets. He’s more of a catch-and-shoot guy when it comes to his offense from deep at this juncture but has no problem cheating his own shot in other situations. He has the size and athleticism to become a versatile and high-level defender in Tallahassee, though he’ll need to give better consistent effort on that end to realize his potential. Few players in the class have an upside as high as Bowen and he’s evolving from a skill perspective to boot.
WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE SEMINOLES
Bowen’s commitment is notable not only because he’s the Seminoles’ first class-of-2023 commit but also because it helps prove that last year’s less-than-memorable 17-14 record hasn’t shaken the confidence of top-flight recruits. Bowen's pledge along with the fact that FSU remains in the mix with five-star big Matas Buzelis has to be encouraging when it comes to the big picture. It’s unclear what Bowen’s commitment means for Buzelis, but the fact Tallahassee is clearly still seen as an appealing destination for elite players with NBA aspirations is apparent.
IN HIS WORDS
“I think I fit in really well [at FSU] with the way they play and the players they produce.” – Bowen to Rivals.com