When Miami coach Jim Larrañaga retired on Dec. 26, he mentioned the changing landscape of college basketball (annual free agency) as among the reasons. Eight players, who he said were all happy at Miami, entered the transfer portal after the team made the final four in the spring of 2023. “The opportunity to make money someplace else created a situation that you have to begin to ask yourself as a coach what is this all about,” Larrañaga said at his retirement press conference. “And the answer is it’s become professional.”
FSU coach Leonard Hamilton has been asked about Larrañaga's retirement twice, postgame on Saturday and on Monday morning during the weekly ACC coaches' Zoom. Given the six former FSU players who are suing Hamilton, and it's a suit he isn't commenting on currently, it's interesting to hear him reflect on Larrañaga's midseason decision.
From Saturday: "No, I was not surprised (by his retirement). I think that he showed a lot of courage and being true to himself. Unfortunately, a lot of coaches feel that way. But we’re all making adjustments. We’re all making adjustments. He did what he thought was best for the program, to his credit, for him personally. And you have to give a guy his props for making those decisions."
From Monday: "Jim has demonstrated that he's a class act. He's a guy who thinks things through. I'm sure the decision didn't come as a knee-jerk reaction to anything particular. I'm sure it came with a lot of thought over a longer period of time and for him to have the courage to stick with his convictions and what he believed is the best thing to do, not only for his team and for the university, players that have played for him before (and it) is to be tremendously respected. I talked to very few coaches who really don't feel some of the similar things that seems to have been on Jim’s mind. It's just where we are. I don't see anything coming in the future that will eliminate the reasons why he made the decision that he did, and I think I have a lot of respect for him for how he did it."
Miami assistant Bill Courtney has taken over as interim head coach. The Hurricanes (4-10) are 0-3 in ACC play going into Wednesday's game against FSU (10-4, 1-2 ACC) in Coral Gables.
FSU coach Leonard Hamilton has been asked about Larrañaga's retirement twice, postgame on Saturday and on Monday morning during the weekly ACC coaches' Zoom. Given the six former FSU players who are suing Hamilton, and it's a suit he isn't commenting on currently, it's interesting to hear him reflect on Larrañaga's midseason decision.
From Saturday: "No, I was not surprised (by his retirement). I think that he showed a lot of courage and being true to himself. Unfortunately, a lot of coaches feel that way. But we’re all making adjustments. We’re all making adjustments. He did what he thought was best for the program, to his credit, for him personally. And you have to give a guy his props for making those decisions."
From Monday: "Jim has demonstrated that he's a class act. He's a guy who thinks things through. I'm sure the decision didn't come as a knee-jerk reaction to anything particular. I'm sure it came with a lot of thought over a longer period of time and for him to have the courage to stick with his convictions and what he believed is the best thing to do, not only for his team and for the university, players that have played for him before (and it) is to be tremendously respected. I talked to very few coaches who really don't feel some of the similar things that seems to have been on Jim’s mind. It's just where we are. I don't see anything coming in the future that will eliminate the reasons why he made the decision that he did, and I think I have a lot of respect for him for how he did it."
Miami assistant Bill Courtney has taken over as interim head coach. The Hurricanes (4-10) are 0-3 in ACC play going into Wednesday's game against FSU (10-4, 1-2 ACC) in Coral Gables.
