Plymouth Whitemarsh big man Naheem McLeod commits to play basketball at Florida State

This season's Florida State basketball team has seven players that are 6-foot-8 or taller.

Coach Leonard Hamilton added another big man Monday night when Plymouth Whitemarsh center Naheem McLeod committed to play for the Seminoles in a news conference at the school's new gymnasium.

The 7-foot-3, 245-pound senior chose Florida State over fellow finalists La Salle and Rhode Island.

McLeod said he developed a strong relationship with Hamilton and Florida State associate head coach Stan Jones during the recruiting process.

"I also liked the atmosphere on campus, the facilities, and my interaction with the players when I visited the school," said McLeod, who was in Tallahassee the last weekend of October.

McLeod, who became a starter as a sophomore, has gradually improved as a post player, developed a better touch around the basket, and became a more polished passer.

"If Naheem evolves the way I think he can, and he plays with intensity on a regular basis, he's got a great upside," Plymouth Whitemarsh coach Jim Donofrio said.

McLeod, rated a four-star prospect by ESPN, averaged 19.5 points, 11 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks last season as the Colonials went 28-2 and placed second to Abington in the District 1 Class 6A playoffs. They lost to Roman Catholic in the second round of states.

McLeod, who played in the offseason for the Philadelphia Youth Organization, earned first-team all-Suburban One League American Conference honors last season. He will enter the 2018-19 campaign with 882 career points.

Donofrio said he plans to allow McLeod more freedom to play outside the paint — and to launch shots from beyond the arc — this season.

"Yeah, I've been working on my three-point shooting," McLeod said. "It's getting better, just like my ballhandling."

The 18-year-old said he plans to major in communications in college.