FSU Basketball: Is Leonard Hamilton Still The Right Coach For The ‘Noles?

With the 2015-16 season not ending how FSU basketball wanted, we look at whether Leonard Hamilton still is the right man to lead the ‘Noles.

In 2002, a change was on the way to FSU basketball. After four straight losing seasons (including one season of just nine wins), Steve Robinson was out as the head coach of the Seminoles. In his place was a man who had both NCAA success as well as a stint in the NBA as a head coach. Leonard Hamilton was the man who was going to complete a change in the FSU basketball program.

Up until this point, FSU basketball was admittedly in some lean times. The ‘Noles had been to the NCAA tournament 10 times before Hamilton’s arrival, advancing to the Sweet 16 just twice before. When the Seminoles joined the ACC in the early 1990’s, it was understood that FSU was there to raise the credibility of the conference in football and baseball…and get smacked around for a while in basketball until they could get up to speed.

Since Hamilton’s first season coaching FSU basketball in 2002-03, there has been an improvement overall in the program when it comes to wins and losses. Just two of the coach’s 14 seasons in Tallahassee has resulted in losing seasons and FSU basketball even was the champions of the ACC for a season, something you never thought would happen.

But while things were going up steadily with the ‘Noles, their two biggest rivals were outpacing them when it came to season finishes. The Florida Gators have gone to six Elite Eights and three Final Fours during the time Hamilton has been at FSU, winning back-to-back titles in 2006 and 2007. The Miami Hurricanes, who struggled when they first joined the ACC from the Big East, at least was making it to the NCAA Tournament and is on pace this year to make a serious run.

FSU basketball did have a four year period of making it to the NCAA Tournament (making it to one Sweet Sixteen and being knocked out in the first round two other times), but for the most part the NIT has been the ‘Noles home for the postseason during Hamilton’s tenure. For a program that was bottom feeders for much of their start in the ACC, FSU fans should be happy where they are now…right?

Right?

No matter what fans of certain other schools may say, football is always going to be king in the state of Florida (you can be willing to bet Miami would trade their wins of late over FSU basketball for one win in football). But it would be wrong to downplay where basketball stands now in the Sunshine State. Partly due to Florida’s titles and those of the Miami Heat in the NBA, basketball now holds a place in the minds of natives when it comes to wanting your school to be considered successful.

The 2015-16 season is a prime example of why fans continue to grow anxious about Hamilton’s time with the ‘Noles. An 18-12 regular season finish included losses by three points or less to Iowa, Pittsburgh and Miami (all teams who made it into the NCAA Tournament). Those games are the difference between playing this weekend in the big dance or traveling to Valparaiso, Indiana for the second round of the NIT.

This is not meant to take a side one way or another. For the sake of transparency, I have covered Hamilton during my time working in both Tallahassee and Miami and find him to be a great person to deal with. The question remains this: is this the best FSU basketball can be? With a great recruiting class coming in next season (and growing feeling that Malik Beasley and Dwayne Bacon may return for their sophomore seasons), the future is bright with the program. Plus, Hamilton signed a contract extension before the end of the season, so FSU officials seem to be happy with the way things are.

But the future has been bright before…and ended with season after season watching the NCAA Tournament without a legit rooting interest. Many FSU basketball fans are realistic and aren’t demanding championship after championship, but consistency when it comes to getting to the tournament would be the first step toward realizing Hamilton’s place in FSU basketball history.