Former FSU Basketball Guard Jalen Warley Transfers to ACC Rival

Warley is the fourth former Seminole in the last two offseasons to transfer to an ACC school
Jan 14, 2023; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Virginia Cavaliers guard Armaan Franklin (4) pressures Florida State guard Jalen Warley (1)
Jan 14, 2023; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Virginia Cavaliers guard Armaan Franklin (4) pressures Florida State guard Jalen Warley (1) / Melina Myers-USA TODAY Sports

Florida State transfer guard Jalen Warley had committed to Virginia, per Joe Tipton of On3Sports. Warley chose FSU over Virginia coming out of high school and now lands with the Cavaliers after three seasons in Tallahassee.

This feels like a very natural fit for Warley. With their slower pace of play and more refined rules on defense, he should be able to thrive in that system, though they've never had a guard like him. We're used to seeing them play with Ty Jerome and Kihei Clark at point guard, players who could get a basket when necessary, but Warley has been more passive looking for scoring opportunities in the past. I'm curious to see if the changes at his new program. Virginia has struggled to score in recent memory and this move could backfire if he hasn't improved as a scorer.

READ MORE: FSU Basketball Star Jamir Watkins to Also Enter NCAA Transfer Portal

Warley averaged 7.5 PPG, 2.8 APG, and 2.6 RPG in his junior season for the Seminoles but played much better down the stretch of the season. From the beginning of January on, he averaged 8.0 PPG and 3.0 APG but improved his free-throw shooting to close to 80%, something that had been a struggle for him his entire career. The former 5-star never quite lived up to his ranking offensively but was one of the better defensive players in the conference.

This is the fourth former Seminole to transfer to an ACC school in the last two offseasons, joining Cam Corhen (Pitt), Matthew Cleveland (Miami), and Naheem McLeod (Syracuse).

Florida State is in the middle of overhauling its roster, only returning Chandler Jackson and Taylor Bol Bowen. They've secured three transfer commitments, three high school signees, and one JUCO player with still four spots to fill.

READ MORE: Los Angeles Rams Release Jersey Numbers For FSU Football Stars Jared Verse and Braden Fiske

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Austin Veazey
AUSTIN VEAZEY

Lead basketball writer; Former FSU Men's Basketball Manager from 2016-2019