Florida Atlantic Owls have complete new look for 2024-25 men's basketball season
BOCA RATON — Two seasons ago, Florida Atlantic’s men’s basketball team became a nationwide phenomenon, winning a school-record 35 games while embarking on a memorable run to the Final Four. Last season, FAU – with all five starters back – earned another berth in the NCAA Tournament before being knocked out in the first round.
When the Owls' 2024-25 season gets underway this week, basketball in Boca Raton will look much, much different.
For starters, head coach Dusty May is gone, departing for the Michigan Wolverines. Replacing him will be John Jakus. The former Baylor assistant and Gonzaga AD has been lauded for his basketball wisdom and championship pedigree, reaching the national championship game with Gonzaga in 2017, and winning the national title with Baylor in 2021.
FAU’s changes go far beyond coaching. Last year's team lost only one player from the squad that reached the Final Four. This year's team lost 10 players, three to graduation and seven to the transfer portal. This left Jakus, a first-time head coach, with the task of building an almost entirely new roster from scratch.
“This is the new normal,” Jakus said. “I would say, if I did this five years ago, and we lost 10, it would have been a really rough situation. But, because of the size of the portal landscape, this is what people are doing now. You try not to judge your situation, just try to have a growth mindset and do the best you can with where you're at, and I think we did that.”
On paper, the Owls boast one of the American Athletic Conference’s most interesting rosters, including the leading scorer from Conference USA and the Southwest Athletic Conference Player of the Year. Attempting to continue building off the success of the past two seasons, FAU could surprise some as a conference contender with its multifaceted squad.
The Owls were picked to finish fifth in the AAC in the conference coaches' preseason poll, behind Alabama-Birmingham, Memphis, South Florida and Wichita State.
Here are five new players who should determine how good FAU will be and who Owls fans should be watching closely this season:
Leland Walker will be running the Owls' offense
A slick, shrewd 6-foot-1 point guard, Leland Walker figures to be a primary facilitator of the offense.
Walker, a junior, is a transfer from Eastern Kentucky, where he averaged 12.1 points and 3.3 assists in 68 games over two seasons. After averaging 9.4 points and 2.7 assists as a freshman, Walker took a substantial leap as a sophomore, averaging 15.4 points and 4.1 assists per game. He also shot 43% from the field and 34% from 3-point range on his way to being named first team All-Conference in the A-SUN.
Making the jump to the AAC, Walker is confident that he, and his new teammates, are up to the task of playing against higher competition.
“We got a great team,” Walker said. “Me and my teammates are really ready for the challenge.”
Despite his size, Walker scores most efficiently near the basket, using a variety of floaters and high layups off the glass to score over taller defenders. Walker also has a knack for slick passing, throwing lobs to baseline cutters and initiating offense out of the pick-and-roll.
Walker is already earning the respect of his peers; Jakus noted that he has been among the prominent vocal presences on court and in practices.
“I think everyone’s got moments,” Jakus said. “If you’re asking for one guy, I’d say Leland’s kind of separated himself.”
Baba Miller is a big man who can do it all
Baba Miller, a forward/center, played for Florida State and hails from Mallorca, Spain. The 7-foot, 216-pound transfer offers offers one of the most intriguing skill sets in all of college basketball.
Following his sophomore season at FSU, Miller entered his name into the NBA draft and the NCAA transfer portal. After participating in the NBA G-League combine, Miller withdrew his name from draft consideration and committed to Florida Atlantic.
“Just getting to know coach Jakus, and the plan he had for this program really caught my attention,” Miller said. “I just thought this is a great opportunity for me to come and help the program win.”
Last season with the Seminoles, Miller averaged 7.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game. Miller’s skill set is particularly eye-popping due to his wide range of two-way abilities at his size.
“I just can’t wait for y’all to see him,” guard KyKy Tandy said. “It’s pretty crazy – he can shoot, he can pass, he can dribble. At his size, it’s really crazy how he moves … he can do a variety of things.”
Miller can create his own shot on the offensive end, using his size and ball-handling abilities to overwhelm opposing defenses. He also has flashed an ability to space the floor despite shooting just 28% from 3-point range in two seasons with the Seminoles.
Defensively, Miller has made his presence felt as a shot blocker and rim protector, using his 7-2 wingspan to disrupt shots around the basket. Jakus spoke highly of Miller’s potential ahead of his first season with the Owls.
“I think he’s not getting enough recognition,” Jakus said. “I just hope that the people see what the NBA saw. The NBA thought he was good enough to invite him to the combine. I think we see the same thing.”
KyKy Tandy will be Owls' go-to scorer
A combo guard with impressive shooting talent, KyKy Tandy is in line to be a go-to scorer for the Owls.
After spending four seasons (one injured) with the Xavier Musketeers, mostly in a reserve role, Tandy enjoyed a breakout season at Jacksonville State last year. His 17.8 points per game led Conference USA, and he was named first team All-C-USA.
The 6-2 Tandy was especially efficient from beyond the arc, knocking down 84 threes at a 39% rate, 16 of those coming from beyond 25 feet. His lightning-quick release off the catch allows him to get his shot off from anywhere on the floor, and will immediately make him a threat.
“Whatever coach wants me to do,” Tandy said of his potential impact this season. “If he wants me to score, if he wants me to play defense, pass the ball, I just want to win at a high level.”
Tandy carried a hefty 29.5% usage rate – an estimate of percentage of team plays used by a player while on the floor – with Jacksonville State. Jakus believes that with more clean looks this season, Tandy’s efficiency will go up even more.
“He was carrying way too much of a load,” Jakus said. “When he plays with our guys, and he gets easier shots, his shooting percentage will go through the roof.”
Ken Evans Jr. led SWAC in scoring last season
Another newcomer was the 2024 Southwest Athletic Conference Player of the Year. Ken Evans Jr. was the SWAC scoring leader at 18.8 ppg while playing for Jackson State.
Evans made an impressive 39% of his shots from 3-point range. He also displayed his versatility, grabbing 5.4 rebounds, dishing out 2.9 assists and snagging 1.3 steals per game.
“He is Player of the Year because he does a little bit of everything,” Jakus said. “He’s a really good player.”
Along with Walker and Tandy, Evans joins a dynamic guard-heavy scoring attack at FAU. Evans can score at all three levels, and can get it done both as an isolation scorer or as a spot-up shooter.
“I’m looking to pick up where I left off last year,” Evans said. “Help lead my team to an American [Athletic] Conference championship.”
Jakus also mentioned the benefit of having two high-level scoring guards in Tandy and Evans in the modern era of college basketball.
“To have two 23-year-old guards in today’s landscape step in, and be almost ready-made, I would say that we’re incredibly blessed,” Jakus said.
Matas Vokietaitis a 7-foot Lithuanian center
Matas Vokietaitis is looking to make an impact in his first season with the Owls.
The 7-foot, 230-pound center is one of two Lithuanian players on the roster (the other being Mantas Kocanas). Vokietaitis was most drawn to FAU due to the opportunity it presented, as well as Jakus’ desire to win.
“He’s good as a person, good coach, very smart, and understands very good basketball,” Vokietaitis said.
Playing for Zalgiris Kaunas in Lithuania, Vokietaitis averaged 12.5 points, and 8.6 rebounds per game last season. He was notably efficient from the floor, shooting 64% from the field. At FAU, the 7-footer has impressed his new teammates in Boca Raton early on.
“I didn’t know Lithuainians could hoop like that,” Evans jokingly said when asked about playing with Vokietaitis and Kocanas. “Off the court, they’re even better people, probably some of the coolest dudes on the team.”
FAU men's basketball 2024-25 schedule
Home games played at Abessinio Court at Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena, Boca RatonStarting times TBD unless noted
Nov. 4 vs. Indiana State (Xenia, Ohio)Nov. 8 Coastal GeorgiaNov. 12 at UCFNov. 15 at CharlestonNov. 16 vs. Liberty (Charleston Classic)Nov. 21 vs. Oklahoma State (Charleston Classic) 2:30 p.m. Nov. 22 vs. Miami or Drake (Charleston Classic)Nov. 24 Championship Game (Charleston Classic)Nov. 30 Florida Gulf Coast University Dec. 4 at Florida International Dec. 10 Jacksonville Dec. 14 Texas State Dec. 21 at Michigan StateJan. 2 Memphis Jan. 5 at East CarolinaJan. 8 at CharlotteJan. 12 Alabama-Birmingham Jan. 15 at TulaneJan. 19 Rice Jan. 26 at North Texas Jan. 29 Texas-San Antonio Feb. 2 South Florida Feb. 8 at TulsaFeb. 10 Charlotte Feb. 16 at TempleFeb. 20 Wichita State Feb. 23 at MemphisFeb. 27 North Texas March 2 at South FloridaMarch 6 at Alabama-BirminghamMarch 9 East Carolina