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When it’s all said and done, Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton may well find his way into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in Kansas City. While that may seem crazy to some, Hamilton’s longevity is nothing short of incredible.
The 76-year-old has 656 victories in nearly 40 years of college coaching. He’s a two-time Big East Coach of the Year, three-time ACC Coach of the Year and was the National Coach of the Year in 1995 with the Miami Hurricanes. But sadly, Hamilton’s career is coming to a rather abrupt end.
Florida State Coach Leonard Hamilton Resigns Amid NIL Lawsuit
He announced his resignation, effective at the end of the season, on Monday amid an ongoing lawsuit alleging that he offered NIL funds to FSU players that he then failed to deliver on.
“Every head coach inherits a legacy and is obligated to leave the job better than they inherited it,” Hamilton said in a press release announcing the move. “I’m very proud of what we have been able to accomplish here over the last 23 seasons. We were a consistent contender, and we created success for our players during their time here.
“So many of them have gone on to be successful in life. I hope that it will be remembered as my legacy. I look forward to working with our administration during this transition and being as helpful as possible through this process.”
In the suit, six former players allege Hamilton promised them $250,000 each in NIL payments to play for the Seminoles from someone he called “business partner.” Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports reports that the players boycotted a practice last season over missed payments.
None of the six players are still with the Florida State program. The Seminoles went just 17-16 a year ago and are 13-9 this season under Hamilton. Hamilton led FSU to three Sweet 16 appearances and one Elite Eight. He won the ACC Tournament in 2012, and the Seminoles went 26-5 en route to a regular season ACC crown in 2019-20. Unfortunately for him, that postseason was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.