In the day of the transfer portal, when it appears that every player is on a one-year contract, retaining can be just as essential as new signings. Florida State and Luke Loucks kicked off portal season with a huge retention on Wednesday, as forward Thomas Bassong will return to FSU for the 2026-27 season, his sophomore year, the school announced in a social media statement.
Bassong came to Tallahassee as a raw but skilled recruit capable of playing both ends of the floor due to his 6’8″, 203-pound physique and 7’3″ wingspan. Throughout the season, the Frenchman gained the coaching staff’s confidence and established himself as a regular in the starting lineup by mid-year. Bassong started 16 of FSU’s final 17 games, including the ACC tournament, assisting the Seminoles to a 11-6 record and a season turnaround.
As previously stated, Bassong’s physical abilities and energy were his hallmark throughout the 2025-26 season, with the rookie placing third in Florida State in offensive rebounds (43) and averaging nearly a steal per game (. 64). His offense improved as the year progressed, and he shot 48/26/54, but the most important thing for his development will be to find a consistent offensive game to complement his defensive ability.
With the transfer about to kick into high gear, the Seminoles did an outstanding job retaining one of their own and establishing a pillar to their 26-27 roster as they seek to build on Loucks’ outstanding first year.
Bassong’s biography from Seminoles. com
ON BASSONG
The first high school commitment of Luke Loucks’ tenure at Florida State… A powerful dribbler who finishes with power at the rim and shoots well from three points. He uses his body effectively to attack the offensive and defensive boards, making him a strong rebounder. Represented France in the FIBA Under-19 World Cup in Switzerland. His first overseas trip for his native country, France, … Following offers from Gonzaga, Loyola Marymount, Mississippi State, Rhode Island, and UCF, the athlete committed to Head Coach Luke Loucks and his staff. His 7-3 wingspan makes him a flexible player on both attack and defense. During his lone season in OTE, his wingspan helped him become one of the top defenders… In the 2024 Adidas Next Generation Tournament, he also competed for the U18 Zalgiris Kaunas squad.
AS A FRESHMAN (2026).
In Florida State’s first exhibition game of the season against Alabama, he had eight points, one rebound, and one steal (Oct. 16)… scored nine points with one rebound in 15 minutes of playing time in the Seminoles’ exhibition game victory over Florida A&M (Oct. 26)… In Florida State’s season-opening 108-76 win against Alcorn State at the Donald L. Tucker Center, he totaled eight points, five rebounds, two blocked shots, and two steals (Nov. 4)… In Florida State’s 101-64 victory over Alabama State at the Donald L. Tucker Center, he scored eight points on two 3-point shots, with three rebounds and three assists (Nov. 7)… In Florida State’s 89-59 victory over CSU Bakersfield at the Donald L. Tucker Center, he scored five points, two rebounds, and one blocked shot (Nov. 25)… In the Houston Hoops Showdown, he was a starter for the first time in his career, scoring four points and three rebounds in 11 minutes of play against Houston (Dec. 6)… In the Orange Bowl Classic, he scored seven points with one rebound in eight minutes of play against UMass (Dec. 13). In Florida State’s 96-49 victory over Mississippi Valley State at the Donald L. Tucker Center on December 19, he had 10 points, two rebounds, and one steal. In Florida State’s 87-63 victory over Jacksonville in Tallahassee in the team’s final non-conference game of the regular season, he scored 10 points and grabbed eight rebounds (Dec. 22). For the first time, led the Seminoles in scoring, totaling 14 points, two rebounds, and two steals in a game against NC State in Tallahassee (Jan. 10). As a starter against Syracuse on the road in ACC play, he had seven points, three rebounds, and one steal (Jan. 13). Scored 11 points and grabbed 5 rebounds in his second straight start against Wake Forest at the Donald L. Tucker Center in Tallahassee on January 17. In Coral Gables, Florida State defeated Miami 63-61, with one starter contributing eight points, six rebounds, and two steals. In Florida State’s win against Cal in Tallahassee on Jan. 28, he had five points, six rebounds, one assist, and one blocked shot. In Florida State’s 88-80 victory over Stanford in Tallahassee (Jan. 31), a starter contributed six points, four rebounds, two assists, and two steals. In Florida State’s 92-69 victory against Virginia Tech at Cassell Coliseum on February 14, he had eight points and four rebounds. . In Florida State’s 80-72 come-from-behind win against Boston College in Tallahassee, he scored eight points with three rebounds and two blocked shots. In Florida State’s 70-65 win over No. 24 Clemson on the road in ACC play (Feb. 21), he scored six points with two rebounds, one assist, one steal, and one blocked shot… In Florida State’s game against Miami at the Donald L. Tucker Center (Feb. 24), he had seven points, four rebounds, and two steals. First career double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds in Florida State’s 80-71 victory over Georgia Tech at McCamish Pavilion in Atlanta on February 28. In Florida State’s 75-74 triumph over Pitt at the Peterson Events Center on the road in ACC play (March 4), he had eight points, eight rebounds, one steal, and one blocked shot. In Florida State’s 95-89 victory over Cal in the second round of the ACC Tournament at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte on March 11, he had eight points, two rebounds, and two blocked shots.
SUMMER 2025 FIBA U19 WORLD CUP
Made his debut for his native France in the FIBA U19 World Cup in Switzerland during the summer of 2025… In seven games, he averaged 3. 3 points, 2. 3 rebounds, and 0. 9 assists while playing 11. 2 minutes per game… In a 75-50 tournament opening triumph over Cameroon (June 28), he had two points, three assists, and two rebounds. In 12 minutes of action, he scored four points and grabbed two rebounds in France’s 108-77 defeat to the United States, the eventual tournament winners (June 29). In a 71-63 victory for Australia over France (July 1), he had four points, one rebound, and one assist in 11 minutes of action. In France’s 86-79 loss in the round of 16 of the tournament (July 2), he played two minutes. In an 86-75 triumph over China on July 4, he had two points and two rebounds in four minutes of action. His best performance was six points, three rebounds, and one steal in 16 minutes of action as France defeated Mali 76-71 on July 5. In a 96-93 defeat against Serbia (July 6), he scored five points on three of four free throws, four rebounds, two assists, and one block.
BEFORE FLORIDA STATE
He averaged 15. 6 points, 4. 3 rebounds, 1. 7 assists, and 1. 2 steals in 15. 6 minutes per game. The Jelly Fam team’s 2024-25 season will be played by OTE. Scored in double figures in 16 of 20 games in 2025, including a 25-point performance against the Cold Hearts, a 24-point performance against the Diamond Doves, and a 23-point outburst against the Blue Checks… Double digits in rebounding and four double-doubles, including 13 rebounds against the City Reapers. Twice double-doubled against Fear of God Athletics (20 points and 11 rebounds), Cold Hearts (21 points and 11 rebounds), City Reapers (10 points and 13 rebounds), and the City Reapers again (14 points and 10 rebounds). closed the season on a high note, averaging 22. 3 points per game in his final three games… Named to the 2025 All-OTE squad as the MVP of the Jelly Fam team… Also a candidate for the OTE Defensive Player of the Year award. During his lone year in the OTE, he was frequently tasked with protecting the opposition’s top scorer. Named an excellent eye-catcher at the 2024 Jordan Holiday Classic… In two playoff games at OTE during the 2024-25 season, he averaged 17. 0 points and 2. 0 rebounds.
PERSONAL
Born on July 12, 2006. Thomas is the son of Jeanne Marlyse Bassong… His mother is a high school arithmetic teacher… Major is exploratory.
