From the Macon Telegraph, 1/15/03:

Pickett, FSU a perfect fit
By Brian Murphy
Telegraph Staff Writer

ATLANTA - Tim Pickett took a long road to Florida State.

But he hasn't wasted anytime since arriving in Tallahassee.

Pickett, a 6-foot-4 junior guard, leads the ACC in steals and 3-pointers made as the Seminoles (9-4, 0-2 in the ACC) headed to Atlanta for a Tuesday night contest with Georgia Tech (7-5, 1-1).

The game between Tech and FSU was not finished as this edition of the Telegraph went to press.

"He just plays with an air of confidence that's very impressive," Tech coach Paul Hewitt said. "I don't think you can ever rest on him."

Pickett's journey has been one of little rest.

He graduated from Daytona Beach Mainland High School in 1999 after leading the Bucs to the state quarterfinals in Class 5A, Florida's largest classification. He then headed to Daytona Beach Community College and averaged 16.0 points per game in one season there.

After sitting out a season, Pickett transferred to Indian River (Fla.) Community College. Pickett averaged 21.0 points with the Pioneers and earned a degree in 2002.

Armed with that degree in two semesters, Pickett set out for South Carolina, only to learn the Southeastern Conference had imposed a new rule forbidding junior college transfers who weren't at a school for three semesters.

"All of the rest of the conferences in America allow a youngster to attend a junior college for two semesters as long as he graduates," Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton said.

The Seminoles won a recruiting battle with Wyoming, West Virginia and Kansas State for the talented shooter.

And he's quickly emerged as the best player on Hamilton's team. In addition to leading the ACC in steals per game (3.4) and 3-pointers made (42), he ranks in the top 10 of five other statistical categories, including scoring (18.0 ppg) and rebounding (6.7 rpg).

Pickett is shooting just 36 percent from the floor, something Hamilton is confident will improve as the Seminoles grow accustomed to their first-year coach and his system.

"We think his best basketball is ahead of him. He's going to improve," Hamilton said. "It's very difficult for us to utilize all of his strengths because we're not cohesive as a unit."

It's his all-around game that has Hewitt worried.

"He can be a devastating 3-pointer shooter, but he's not afraid to go down low and post up strong and make strong moves to the basket with his back to the basket," Hewitt said.

Tech guard B.J. Elder will draw the defensive assignment on Pickett for much of the evening.

Maybe the Noles need 4 more Tims... :frown: