TALLAHASSEE – On January 4, 2022, Robert McCray V scored two points and totaled one rebound in Wake Forest’s victory over Florida State at the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Winston Salem, N.C. He was a freshman playing in his first season of college basketball on that cold and cloudy night on Tobacco Road, never imagining that he would one day be a Florida State Seminole.

Only three short years later, McCray is a Seminole and preparing for his final collegiate season as one of the most important additions to the roster for the first year of the Luke Loucks era. After playing one season at Wake Forest, and two at Jacksonville, he is ready to continue to thrive on the basketball court at Florida State.

“I came to Florida State knowing that it will give me a taste of playing at the next level,” said McCray at the conclusion of the Seminoles’ eight-week summer training camp. “The NBA is where I want to be, and I know this is the right place for me to continue to elevate my game. Florida State is the right place for me because of Coach Loucks and Coach (Jim) Moran with their backgrounds in the NBA, along with our fast-paced style of play.”

McCray has always been a standout athlete in a family of great athletes. While playing for his dad, Robert IV at A.C. Floria High School in his hometown of Columbia, S.C, he was twice named as the player of the year in his region, led the Falcons to regional and state championships in 2019, 2020, and 2021, and to the Class 4A Lower State Championship game in 2018. McCray was the No. 11 ranked combo guard in the nation as a senior.

He displayed his incredible athleticism as he won the South Carolina state championship in the high jump as a senior in 2021. His state championship winning jump was measured at 6-10 – a full six inches above his 6-4 height.

The lefthanded guard quickly caught the attention of Loucks and his staff as soon as the former Seminole accepted the job as the eighth head coach in school history on March 10, 2025.

“Robert was a guy we zeroed in on very early when we began putting our team together,” said Loucks. “He has the ability to create for himself, and more importantly, he has the ability to create for his teammates. He’s dynamic, he’s a team player, and he’s one of six seniors on our roster which was by design. Robert’s skill level and competitiveness are going to help us win games.”

As the middle child of nine brothers and sisters, McCray was one of the top guards in the Atlantic Sun during the past two seasons. He averaged a career-high 18.4 points per game in his first season and averaged 16.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in earning All-Atlantic Sun First-team honors last year. McCray has also proven to be an excellent shooter who has made more than 100 3-point shots during his career.

“I learned to play college basketball at Jacksonville,” said McCray. “The main things I learned about college basketball is my ability to play every position, learning to be a strong facilitator, and getting all of my teammates involved on every play.”

First-year Seminole assistant coach Michael Fly, who helped coach McCray during his two years at Jacksonville, had a front row seat to McCray’s maturation as a basketball player and as a man.

“Rob carried a heavy load at Jacksonville for the past two seasons,” said Fly. “He is used to being the No. 1 player on the opposing teams’ scouting report. Rob improved a great deal as a shooter, as a decision maker, and as a  leader during his time at Jacksonville. I expect him to continue his growth on and off the floor and represent the Garnet and Gold with character and integrity.”

McCray enters his first season at Florida State with 1,133 career points — 1,107 which were scored in his two seasons at Jacksonville. His single season scoring totals of 589 points (2023-24, tied for 11^th) and 518 points (2024-25, tied for 24^th) make him one of only six players in school history (including the legendary Artis Gilmore) with multiple single-season scoring totals in the top 25 in history of the Jacksonville program. McCray’s 1,107 career points is the 25^th highest scoring total for career points in the history of Jacksonville basketball.

McCray helped lead the Dolphins to the 2025 College Basketball Invitational and is one of four Seminoles (McCray, Lajae Jones at St. Bonaventure, Alex Steen at Florida Southern, and Chauncey Wiggins at Clemson) who have played in the postseason during their collegiate careers.

McCray also completed his career at Jacksonville with his bachelor’s degree in social science.

“Earning my degree from Jacksonville meant a lot to me,” said McCray. “I knew earning my degree would make my parents proud.”

As McCray prepares to suit up for the Seminoles this season, he knows there is a lot of basketball to be played in his future.

“The thing I enjoy most about playing basketball is how it makes me feel,” said McCray. “Knowing that how I play can bring joy to my family, my friends, and now the passionate Florida State fans is special,” said McCray. “The opportunities that playing basketball have created for me are amazing. The school spirit — how much the fans love Florida State — has been the most eye-opening aspect of being a Seminole. It’s why I’m so excited for November 4 when we get to play in front of our fans.”

While he didn’t realize it when he first faced Florida State, it’s much better to be a Seminole than to play against the Seminoles.