Savage's quote on Loucks is the one to highlight: "I know coach Loucks was in the NBA before he went to college so I know he has League experience. He knows what it takes to develop players to get to the NBA." That's the exact pitch Loucks has been making, and it's landing with a top-40 national prospect.

Savage is out of Marietta (Ga.) Wheeler and is described as one of the best floor generals in the 2027 class, with toughness, feel for the game, and an improved shot from three. At 5-foot-10, he's built like the kind of smaller, quick guard who can thrive in an NBA-style system.

His stated priorities heading into the decision: "The development, a coach's trust in me, a good community, a good atmosphere, stability in the coaching staff." That last one is the tricky piece for FSU, given the questions around Norvell and overall program stability. But Loucks' position feels secure, and that's what matters in this recruitment.

Auburn holds the relationship edge dating back to Savage's middle school years and has a track record of developing smaller guards like Tahaad Pettiford. Georgia offers the hometown angle. Purdue made a strong pitch around point guard development using Braden Smith as proof of concept.

Georgia Tech is the other Atlanta school making a play, and UCLA represents the west coast wildcard for a kid who says he's genuinely curious about experiencing something different.

FSU isn't the favorite here, but being in the final six for the No. 36 player in the country is exactly the kind of name-brand recruiting Luke Loucks needs to be doing. The Lajae Jones story, which broke days before Savage's cut, is the kind of real-time evidence that makes FSU's pitch credible.

Golden State GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. explained exactly why the Warriors picked Jones: "We have pretty good intel and relationships with the schools he's been at. St. Bonaventure with Woj, a former writer and guy who covered the NBA, and at Florida State with Luke Loucks, a former assistant coach here. So in talking to those guys, they were extremely high on him. We watched him a ton. Specifically for me, a guy who made a lot of threes against Duke. He almost took us down in the ACC tournament. An impressive performance."

That quote does two things simultaneously: it validates Jones as a legitimate draft pick, and it confirms that Loucks' Warriors network is actively influencing how NBA organizations view FSU players. The pipeline isn't just a talking point. It's real.

When asked what advice Loucks gave him about playing for the Warriors, Jones kept it simple: "Be in shape, play fast, and knock down threes." Classic Loucks, and exactly the kind of inside-knowledge answer that only comes from someone who spent years in that building.

Jones credited Loucks' NBA-style system for preparing him for the pre-draft workouts that helped him get selected. "Loucks' NBA system" is now a phrase a draft pick used at a Warriors press conference. That's a recruiting line that writes itself.

On his first-year goals: "Just make it very easy for all the vets and all the guys that are already solidified. I just want to do the best that I can to make my way to finding minutes. At the end of the day, the end goal is to win a championship."

Jones will debut at the California Classic Summer League on July 3rd when the Warriors face the Lakers at Chase Center. Full NBA Summer League runs July 9-19 in Las Vegas.

Dodge started all 61 games in her redshirt sophomore season in 2026 and led the Lady Vols with 46 RBI, hitting 11 home runs with a .967 fielding percentage in 304 attempts. She was also a threat on the bases, going 11-for-13 in stolen base attempts.

Over two seasons at Tennessee, she hit .265 with 18 home runs and 61 RBI while helping the program to back-to-back Women's College World Series semifinal appearances in 2025 and 2026. She primarily played second base but also saw time at third and in the outfield.

She's a Florida kid coming home. Dodge attended Lakewood Ranch High School, was ranked a top-100 recruit in the 2024 class by Extra Innings Softball, and her mother Shannon played softball at USF from 1997 to 1999. This is a natural fit in every direction.

In the classroom, she maintains a 3.75 GPA and will continue studying human development and family sciences at FSU.

Assistant coach Travis Wilson: "Ella is an excellent addition to our infield with her ability to play multiple positions. She has left-handed power with the ability to drive in runs in the middle of the order. With two years of Women's College World Series experience, we expect Ella to bring a veteran presence to our locker room. Ella is a high-energy player with a team first mentality and is a perfect fit for our program."

Sophomore Mary Boyce Deatherage earned her second consecutive All-ACC Academic selection after finishing second on the team in singles victories and adding 15 doubles wins. Junior Laura Putz earned her third consecutive honor and was also named CSC Academic All-District earlier this year.

Junior Eva Shaw received her second career recognition after leading the Seminoles with 13 singles victories and finishing the year ranked No. 103 in the final ITA singles rankings. Senior Tina Li closed out her FSU career with her second All-ACC Academic selection after totaling 120 career wins across singles and doubles.

Senior Kristyna Lavickova earned her second career honor and also received CSC Academic All-District recognition, capping a collegiate career with 51 combined victories.

Juniors Mohammad Alkotop (Sport Management), Justin Lyons (Finance), and Erik Schiessl (Economics) all earned recognition, as did seniors Corey Craig (Economics) and Luis Felipe Miguel (Interdisciplinary Social Science). All five were recognized for their combined excellence on the court and in the classroom.

No. 3: Georgia Tech. Not a traditional rival, but the games have gotten interesting under Brent Key. The concern isn't just a Yellow Jacket title. It's that Georgia already wins everything, and the thought of two Georgia schools celebrating simultaneously is too much to process. Worth noting: the last time Georgia Tech technically won a title, they had to share it with Colorado. Not exactly dynasty behavior.

No. 2: Florida. The jorts parade alone. Their last title was 2008, only five years before FSU's, so they're not desperate. But Gainesville hosting a championship celebration in full orange regalia is the stuff of FSU fan nightmares. The Sunshine Showdown rivalry carries extra weight when bragging rights are on the line. Orange is for Halloween.

No. 1: Miami. The unanimous choice. The Hurricanes have enough swagger with a 25-year championship drought. The most chilling sentence in recent FSU fan memory: "Thank god for Curt Cignetti and Indiana." If Miami ever wins another title, no one in Tallahassee will hear the end of it. Hopefully that remains a hypothetical.