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A familiar name to Florida State fans is on the move once again. Alabama Crimson Tide forward Taylor Bol Bowen plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal, according to On3's Joe Tipton. The 6-foot-10 forward spent his first two collegiate seasons in Tallahassee before making the move to Tuscaloosa, and now finds himself back in the portal searching for another home.
The news comes as the college basketball portal landscape shifts into overdrive ahead of the official opening window on Tuesday, and it carries significant implications not just for Bol Bowen's future, but potentially for the program that helped develop him in the first place.
As a freshman at Florida State in 2023-24, Bol Bowen played in 31 games, averaging 3.1 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 0.5 blocked shots in 10.9 minutes per game. While the raw numbers were modest, his defensive versatility and length made an impression. His second season was when the former blue-chip prospect truly broke out.
As a sophomore, Bol Bowen appeared in 29 games and made 28 starts, averaging 8.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, and 1.0 steals per game. He was FSU's best three-point shooter by percentage, hitting 41.4 percent of his attempts. He scored double figures in six ACC contests that season, including a season-high 20 points against Georgia Tech on Jan. 18, and posted two double-doubles throughout the year.
His decision to leave Florida State came after news broke in early February 2025 that head coach Leonard Hamilton was stepping down at the end of the season. At the time of his commitment to Alabama, Bol Bowen was ranked as the No. 74 player and No. 13 small forward in the transfer portal by 247Sports.
Now entering the portal for the second time in his college career, Bol Bowen has one year of remaining eligibility. With a proven ability to stretch the floor from the power forward position, he figures to be one of the more coveted front-court options available when the transfer portal officially opens on Tuesday.
Here is where the story gets particularly interesting for Seminoles fans: Florida State may have both the need and the motivation to bring Bol Bowen back to Tallahassee. Luke Loucks acknowledged at his end-of-season press conference the significant rebuilding task ahead, noting the need to replace six seniors and other departing players while maintaining the program's upward trajectory.
The fit makes sense on multiple levels. Bol Bowen already knows the program, the culture, the city of Tallahassee, and the ACC landscape from his two seasons as a Seminole. He is exactly the kind of frontcourt presence, long, switchable, capable of shooting from the perimeter, that aligns with Loucks' stated vision of building a longer, more athletic roster.
For Seminoles fans, Bol Bowen's journey is a reminder of the talent that passed through Tallahassee during the final seasons of the Hamilton era — and a forward who, despite the stops and starts of his college career, still has the tools to emerge as a difference-maker wherever he lands next.
Follow us @FSUWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida State news, notes, and opinions.
This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: FSU Basketball: Taylor Bol Bowen re-enters transfer portal
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The news comes as the college basketball portal landscape shifts into overdrive ahead of the official opening window on Tuesday, and it carries significant implications not just for Bol Bowen's future, but potentially for the program that helped develop him in the first place.
A Seminole First, Then a Crimson Tide
As a freshman at Florida State in 2023-24, Bol Bowen played in 31 games, averaging 3.1 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 0.5 blocked shots in 10.9 minutes per game. While the raw numbers were modest, his defensive versatility and length made an impression. His second season was when the former blue-chip prospect truly broke out.
As a sophomore, Bol Bowen appeared in 29 games and made 28 starts, averaging 8.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, and 1.0 steals per game. He was FSU's best three-point shooter by percentage, hitting 41.4 percent of his attempts. He scored double figures in six ACC contests that season, including a season-high 20 points against Georgia Tech on Jan. 18, and posted two double-doubles throughout the year.
His decision to leave Florida State came after news broke in early February 2025 that head coach Leonard Hamilton was stepping down at the end of the season. At the time of his commitment to Alabama, Bol Bowen was ranked as the No. 74 player and No. 13 small forward in the transfer portal by 247Sports.
A High-Ceiling Prospect With Plenty Left to Prove
Now entering the portal for the second time in his college career, Bol Bowen has one year of remaining eligibility. With a proven ability to stretch the floor from the power forward position, he figures to be one of the more coveted front-court options available when the transfer portal officially opens on Tuesday.
Could FSU Bring Him Home?
Here is where the story gets particularly interesting for Seminoles fans: Florida State may have both the need and the motivation to bring Bol Bowen back to Tallahassee. Luke Loucks acknowledged at his end-of-season press conference the significant rebuilding task ahead, noting the need to replace six seniors and other departing players while maintaining the program's upward trajectory.
The fit makes sense on multiple levels. Bol Bowen already knows the program, the culture, the city of Tallahassee, and the ACC landscape from his two seasons as a Seminole. He is exactly the kind of frontcourt presence, long, switchable, capable of shooting from the perimeter, that aligns with Loucks' stated vision of building a longer, more athletic roster.
For Seminoles fans, Bol Bowen's journey is a reminder of the talent that passed through Tallahassee during the final seasons of the Hamilton era — and a forward who, despite the stops and starts of his college career, still has the tools to emerge as a difference-maker wherever he lands next.
Follow us @FSUWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida State news, notes, and opinions.
This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: FSU Basketball: Taylor Bol Bowen re-enters transfer portal
Continue reading...
