FSU Basketball Closes Off Transfer Portal Cycle With Former All-Conference Big
Florida State had one big need remaining for the open roster spot they had: center. Bigs were expensive in this transfer portal cycle, so the thought was that FSU would explore the JUCO and international ranks to add a big to pair with 4-star behemoth freshman Marcis Ponder.
However, a transfer option quickly emerged, and FSU swooped in to secure the deal. For their final roster spot, big man Cooper Schwieger has committed to the Seminoles.
Schwieger, who stands at 6'10", 235 pounds, started his career at Valparaiso, where he blossomed into a Second Team All-Missouri Valley Conference Selection as a sophomore, averaging 15.8 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 2.0 BPG, and 1.1 APG, shooting 48.9% from the floor, 29.9% from three, and a blistering 85% at the free throw line. He was also the MVC Rookie of the Year as a freshman.
NEWS: Wake Forest transfer forward Cooper Schwieger has committed to Florida State, his agency @GSLSportsGroup tells @On3.
- Joe Tipton (@JoeTipton) April 24, 2026
The 6-10 junior has averaged 11.3 points and 5.2 rebounds over three seasons at Valpo and Wake Forest.https://t.co/cdOQFu8Osapic.twitter.com/11iJC3Os8K
After two years at Valpo, Schwieger transferred to Wake Forest for his junior season, which was an odd fit. He averaged just 5.1 PPG and 2.5 RPG, but still had respectable shooting splits of 50.4/34.3/73.7. While Schwieger has the ability to stretch to three, having made 74 in his career at a 33.2% rate, he's best as a center. Wake played him as a power forward on offense, as they had Tre'Von Spillers or Omaha Biliew playing alongside him at all times, who can't space the floor and are space-cloggers.
Wake Forest moved Schwieger into the starting lineup in ACC play, which helped him be a little more productive
Schwieger is very comfortable with the ball in his hands, which makes him a perfect fit for Luke Loucks' offense. Loucks likes his bigs to be able to operate a dribble handoff on the perimeter, and if they have the ability to fake the handoff and attack the basket, even better. Schwieger can do that at a high level, which makes him more dangerous than anyone FSU had down low last year. Pairing that with his ability to hit threes as a trailer, his natural footwork in the low post, and you have the makings of a perfect rotational big for Florida State.
Now, he's not a great rebounder, despite leading the MVC in rebounding as a sophomore at Valpo, but he can be serviceable. His shot-blocking also isn't as dominant as his sophomore numbers can suggest, but he does move his feet really well for a big on both ends of the floor. Watching his offensive bag work, he can quickly spin off his man, and that translates to defense, too.
This is a great addition for Florida State, as he's the exact foil you'd want to pair with Marcis Ponder.
When Schwieger entered the portal a year ago, he received interest from teams like Kansas, Michigan, Clemson, and Northwestern.
How Does Florida State's Roster Look?
Cooper Schwieger should be the final piece of the puzzle for the 2026-27 season for Florida State, barring any wild surprises. Here is an early projected depth chart.
PG: Anthony Robinson II, Martay Barnes, Jasen Lopez, Amare Robinson, Jalen Crawford
SG: Kameron Taylor, Brandon Bass Jr., JD Jones
SF: Shon Abaev, Elisee Assui, AJ Swinton
PF: Sebastian Rancik, Collin Paul
C: Marcis Ponder, Cooper Schwieger
I'll do full deep dives in the coming weeks and throughout the offseason, but overall, this is a much more talented roster than FSU had last year, and I'm excited to see them in action.
It's not without its concerns, but no roster is perfect. Overall, Florida State did a great job in assembling this roster quickly.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/fsu as FSU Basketball Closes Off Transfer Portal Cycle With Former All-Conference Big.
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This story was originally published April 23, 2026 at 8:29 PM.