Instant Impact: Von Wafer

Small-town prospect could key FSU's first winning season since '98

By J.M. Woodman, Special to SI.com

Von Wafer Fr., Florida State Position: SF Ht.: 6'5"  Wt.: 210 High School: Heritage-Christian (Cleveland, Texas) Home: Homer, La. TheInsiders.com Ranking: No. 15 overall, No. 3 small forward SI.com's Impact Freshmen Brandon Bass LSU Tigers Luol Deng Duke Blue Devils Martin Iti Charlotte 49ers David Padgett Kansas Jayhawks Mustafa Shakur Arizona Wildcats Charlie Villanueva UConn Huskies Von Wafer FSU Seminoles

Von Wafer likes a good challenge, and in choosing to attend Florida State on a basketball scholarship, he faces his biggest challenge yet.

"If you prepare for things, it makes it a lot easier," Wafer said of the task. "I'm working as hard as I can, but it's going to be hard. I like a challenge because life is a challenge."

The Seminoles haven't had a winning season since 1998, the same year as their last postseason appearance. And now, under second-year head coach Leonard Hamilton, the hopes of Seminoles faithful will be riding on the shoulders of the 6-foot-5, 210-pound Wafer and his teammates.

"Any time you take over a program and you're building a program," said Hamilton, "you want to try and find a young man with athleticism and skills that you feel can come in and have an impact or at least be able to contribute early in his development."

The Hype

For Florida State, that young man is Wafer, who was a relatively unknown star at Pineview High School in Lisbon, La., a tiny school with an enrollment of 195 for pre-school through 12th grade.

During his junior season, Wafer averaged 32 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and two steals per game, but it wasn't until the Nike All-American by-invitation-only camp the following summer that Wafer caught the attention of top recruiters.

"Von is a special kind of athlete who has a great feel for scoring points," Hamilton said when he announced the prospect's signing. "He can pass, shoot and dribble and do them all well. He is also able to utilize his size to his advantage, which makes him even more dangerous."

His Role

During the recruiting process, Hamilton made it clear that Wafer would have to earn his spot in the lineup. The Seminoles return four starters from a squad that finished last season with a 14-15 mark.

"There are opportunities for youngsters to come in and contribute," Hamilton said. "Rather than us try to establish a role, we like for them to come in and earn the right to play."

Wafer finished his high school career at Heritage-Christian Academy in Cleveland, Texas. There he averaged 26 points, eight rebounds, four steals and four blocks per game, and if he brings that to Florida State he'll be in the lineup. But Wafer knows those numbers don't mean anything now.

"Of course I'd like to play a lot, but I'm just going to do whatever coach tells me to do," Wafer said. "I'll play whatever role and I'll go 110 percent. I'm never going to take a pay off."

In his first college game -- an exhibition against Global Sports on Nov. 8 -- Wafer made the most of his time off the bench, scoring 14 points in 15 minutes on 6-of-9 shooting.