Ta’Niya Latson’s Evolution as a Playmaker Is Paying Dividends for Florida State

The Florida State Seminoles are in the midst of a hotly contested ACC gauntlet, sitting at 16-7 (7-4 in conference play) after playing a competitive out of conference schedule. They're not quite where they want to be yet, but day by day, game by game, they're getting closer as they keep fine tuning their process.

Sophomore guard Ta'Niya Latson has taken on a larger leadership role, and after her first season of ACC play in 2023 she's more prepared for the nightly tests.

"Not taking any team lightly or for granted is the number one thing in the ACC, it can be anybody's game on any given night. The talent we have this year is crazy...Hannah Hidalgo, Dyaisha Fair, Georgia Amoore, Elizabeth Kitley... it's a dog fight every night," says Latson.

Latson herself is part of that elite crew in the league, the 2023 ACC Rookie of the Year and a 1st Team All-ACC member. She burst onto the scene as a freshman in Tallahassee, averaging 21.3 points per game. Her first step is one of the best in basketball, she's crafty with the ball, strong and on balance, and a dynamic finisher around the rim and through contact. Latson knew this year would be different with respect to how she was covered defensively.

She's seen more double teams than last seen, more defenses are blitzing ball screens trying to deny her ability to get to the rim, and adapting to that is key.

"A lot of film and practice, a lot of teams are game-planning for me, so getting my teammates open, stretching out the floor more helps me and my teammates. I know I can't do it all alone, so getting my teammates involved is very important to me, and I wanted to grow in that area," says Latson.

She still has the "hunger" to light up the score board, but has expertly blended her individual scoring with the ability to create for her teammates, which is easier said than done. She's averaging 5.6 assists per gam since the start of the new year with a 2:1 assist to turnover ratio, a stark upturn from 2.9 assists per game as a freshman. The numbers paint a picture, but what happens on the court adds the detailing brushstrokes.

Growing more comfortable and consistent as a playmaker only opens the door for her scoring to hit even harder, in turn making her impact felt at an even higher level.

As mentioned prior with drawing doubles and more aggressive ball screen coverages, watch how Miami throws two defenders at Latson.

She quickly hits the lob over the top to Makayla Timpson after she slips out of the screen. The pass is quick, it's on time, in the right place, and there's not hesitation. It's simple, but it's devastatingly effective when consistent, and consistent is precisely what Latson has been with this read.

A few possessions later, look how the Hurricanes approach the play, again bringing their center near the level of the screen to prevent dribble penetration from Latson.

However, Latson sees the coverage coming, and playing in an emptied out corner, she has room to work and drive baseline: As soon as the big vacates outside the free throw line in anticipation, Latson blasts to the rim and makes a tremendous play finishing through help.

That's already part of that next stage in taking how a defense is playing and working around it. With her ability to attack coverages in multiple ways, and see things before they're happening more regularly, that brings an added difficulty to keep her out of the paint.

Point blank, she's becoming a special creator out of ball screens, FSU's bread and butter. The early offense and transition play has been a staple for her since she started in college, but now it's that much harder to slow her down in the halfcourt, which bodes well for her team and her pro potential.

Latson is just starting to scratch the surface as a manipulator of defenses, which is wild to think about. Seeing and making the reads is the first step. Ironing out accuracy, delivery, and timing is part of the next stage. Then there's even more that can be done in the subtleties of passing moving on from there.

However, there's one added note that I feel she's really started to hit this season, particularly in ACC play, that's starting to set her apart: Jump passing. 

I know exactly what you're thinking, my AAU coach told me to never jump pass, and that's probably true! But, you also weren't Ta'Niya Latson. When you can put pressure on the rim like she can and make the defense care about it, you're going to get walled up. Rim protectors will slide to meet you at an apex and additional help-side defenders will be in wait, because she's that much of a handful.

She exhibited the jump passing last year, but it could feel like more of a bail out at times, which makes sense; if you draw two defenders and your lane isn't as open as you thought it would be, you may be better off dumping the ball.

However, this season, Latson has come different with the jump pass, using it as a weapon, equipped with how defenders may react to her movements as opposed to making decisions after they do.

She's taken great advantage of her scoring gravity (how hard she draws the defense when she has the ball in different areas/actions) to better create for her teammates on her gashing drives to the rim. Note how often she's waiting til the last second to release the ball, a key element.

Latson draws all eyes to her, and she takes full advantage, forcing defenders to step up and contest before she dishes the rock. It's a a dire push pull decision on the back line, and one I don't envy.

Think of it like this: this growth in timing and manipulation is like going from hand-squeezing an orange to using a juice press. It's more efficient, it's more effective, and it's calculated. It's a monumental shift in her game, a fundamental adjustment, and one of the more impactful developments in the ACC on a player skill level.

As Florida State seeks to climb higher in the ACC standings, find further footing in the postseason, and continue to round out as a team, Ta'Niya Latson is leading the way. As one of the brightest young stars in the game, she continues to elevate her game, and the ACC and the nation at large should be on notice.

***You can watch/listen to the full interview with Ta'Niya on YouTube***