TAMPA, Fla. -- Less than 16 minutes into Marcis Ponder's college career, fans inside Benchmark International Arena were chanting his name ... kinda. After Florida State's 7-foot, 285-pound freshman center hustled in an attempt to secure an offensive rebound, he was fouled. That meant another trip to the free-throw line and a chance to add stats to his already impressive night.
Once he stepped onto the line, fans started chanting "Baby Shaq," a nickname Ponder earned when he was just a teenager. There are some similarities in playstyle between Ponder and Shaquille O'Neal's games, which makes his nickname — and the fans chanting it — even more fitting. O'Neal, who became one of the most dominant players of his era for his blend of size, strength and athleticism, inspired a generation of players to live and dominate the game from inside the paint.
That's Ponder's game to a T. He is a down-low physical finisher who operates almost solely in the paint. He sets hard screens and gobbles up rebounds on both ends of the floor.
Ponder, who played football growing up, looks impossible to move, so imagine being on the opposing end of a screen or having to fight around him for a rebound. Marcis with the put-back JAM! 😤💪ESPNU 📺 | #ALLIN 🍢 pic.twitter.com/3G8k2Hrwzm It didn't take long for Ponder to announce himself to the college basketball universe during Florida State's 113-69 win on Monday against Florida A&M and show why he might be one of the most entertaining and physically imposing players in the sport. After winning the opening tip, Ponder hustled to secure an offensive rebound off a missed shot and used his frame to finish inside the restricted area with ease.
It was a sign of things to come. Less than 40 seconds after scoring his first official points as a college player, Ponder was back for more. After a missed 3-pointer at the top of the key, Ponder was all alone in the paint where he grabbed the offensive rebound and simultaneously threw down a two-handed dunk.
And just like that, less than a minute and a half into the game, Ponder had four points and two rebounds (both offensive). Ponder, the No. 43-ranked player in the 2026 class by 247Sports, was a huge recruiting win for FSU second-year coach Luke Loucks. He committed to Florida State last summer over Cincinnati, Illinois, Indiana, Miami, Providence and Texas less than a few months after Loucks took the job at his alma mater after a stint as an assistant coach for the Sacramento Kings.
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