Florida State head coach Leonard Hamilton announced Monday he’s stepping down at the end of the season, ending a 23-year career in Tallahassee.
Hamilton, 76, will end his Florida State tenure as the winningest coach in school history and in the top five in wins in the history of the ACC. During his time with the Seminoles, Hamilton guided the program to the 2020 ACC regular-season title and eight NCAA tournament appearances. He also advanced to the second weekend of the NCAA tournament on four occasions.
“I am deeply thankful for the tremendous support of our fans, alumni, and everyone associated with Florida State throughout my time here,” Hamilton said. “I am proud of the quality of the young men that it was my privilege to lead, for their faith in this program and in their belief in the philosophy that we tried to instill in them over the years. I have been blessed beyond words for the opportunity and the experience we’ve had here.
“My family and I truly love this place, this institution, and its people. I’m very fortunate to be able to have given this job my all with no regrets. Every head coach inherits a legacy and is obligated to leave the job better than they inherited it. 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.”
Hamilton is being sued by six former players basketball players from the 2023-24 team, alleging he failed to make good on a promise to get each of them $250,000 in name, image and likeness compensation.
The plaintiffs — Darin Green Jr., De’Ante Green, Cam’Ron Fletcher, Josh Nickelberry, Primo Spears and Jalen Warley — filed suit in Leon County circuit court, and their attorney, Fort Lauderdale-based Darren Heitner, shared the 20-page complaint.
The former players allege Hamilton promised them the money from his “business partners.” The lawsuit says they walked out of a practice in the past season over the missed payments and intended to boycott a Feb. 17 game against Duke. They ended up playing — the Seminoles lost — amid a guarantee from…
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