FanShot

SI Previews Dwayne Bacon's Impact on FSU

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No. 17: Dwayne Bacon

"The upside for Florida State fans who watched their favorite team slink to a ninth-place finish in the ACC and post its lowest win total (17) in a decade last season was the recruiting class coach Leonard Hamilton assembled—and kept together—for 2015-16. In a three-week stretch beginning last August, the Seminoles secured verbal commitments from four-star small forward Terance Mann, ranked No. 98 in the Rivals150; four-star shooting guard Malik Beasley (No. 43); and Bacon (No. 22), an athletic wing who’s considered one of the top scorers in the class of 2015.

"As a high school senior, Bacon averaged 24.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.2 steals, helped powerhouse Oak Hill (Va.) Academy to a 45-0 record in the regular season and was named Virginia’s Gatorade player of the year. The Lakeland, Fla., native also had previous stints at IMG (Fla.) Academy and McKeel (Fla.) Academy, during which he became known as a volume scorer. For the Seminoles’ sake, hopefully that reputation fades because they can’t abide more poor shot selection after ranking 163rd in the nation last season in adjusted offensive efficiency and 107th in effective field goal percentage, according to kenpom.com.

"In any case, Bacon's ability to maneuver around defenders in the half court, then slash to the basket and score in transition should elevate a Florida State attack that brings back six of its top seven scorers, including All-ACC honorable mention guard Xavier Rathan-Mayes. The 6'6", 210-pound Bacon is viewed as one of the more seasoned prospects in this class in part because of his physicality and age (he turns 20 next month).

"The upside is that he shouldn't have any issues with strength in the ACC, it's just going to be a test of his skill level," wrote Bossi. Even if Bacon underwhelms as a scorer, he and Beasley could produce one of the best freshmen-focused dunk mixtapes in recent memory."