TALLAHASSEE – Florida State men’s basketball players Jamir Watkins, Jesse Jones, and Jason Simpson have been named to the 2025 Academic Honors Court by the National Association of Basketball Coaches. It marks the second consecutive season Watkins and Jones have been named to the list and the first time Simpson has been honored academically by the NABC.

Watkins (social science), Jones (finance) and Simpson (finance) all earned their bachelor’s degrees from Florida State. Jones earned his master’s degree (finance) from Florida State in May of 2025.

Watkins, who was drafted by the Washington Wizards in the recent 2025 NBA Draft, completed his collegiate academic career as a two-time member of the All-ACC Academic Men’s Basketball Team, an All-District academic honoree by the College Sports Communicators in 2025, and as the 2025 winner of the Golden Nole for Men’s Basketball as presented by Florida State University Department of Athletics. Watkins was named to the FSU Academic Dean’s List twice during his career as a Seminole.

Jones was a member of the Seminole basketball team in 2024 and 2025, after helping the team as a manager during the 2022-23 season. He was named to the 2024 and 2025 NABC Academic Honors Court, the 2024 ACC Academic Honor Roll, to the FSU Academic President’s (2023) and Dean’s List (2024), and was presented with the 2024 Golden Torch for academic excellence by the FSU Department of Athletics.

Jones earned his bachelor’s degree in finance from Florida State in 2024 and earned his master’s in finance from Florida State in 2025.

Simpson was a two-year member of the Florida State basketball team after transferring from St. John’s University where he began his collegiate career.

Senior Alex Steen, who transferred to Florida State from Florida Southern College for the 2025-26 season, was named to the NABC Academic Court for the first time in his career.

The NABC Honors Court includes junior, senior and graduate student men’s basketball players who finished the 2024-25 year with a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher.

Seminole Men’s Basketball Players on the NABC Honors Court

2017-18, Brandon Allen

2018-19, David Nichols, Trent Forrest, Harrison Prieto, Will Miles and Justin Lindner

2019-20, Justin Lindner, Will Miles and Harrison Prieto

2022-23, Jaylan Gainey, RJ Morris, Tibor Palinkas, Isaac Spainhour, Max Thorpe

2023-24, Jaylan Gainey, Jesse Jones, Isaac Spainhour, Max Thorpe, Jamir Watkins

2024-25, Jesse Jones, Jason Simpson, Jamir Watkins