Let's face the music quickly...
There is nothing special about Florida State's men's basketball team this season as the Seminoles are currently sitting with a 16-13 record (7-11 in conference). The program has lost three games in a row and is just trying to get to the season's finish line.
Florida State has lost by double-digits in three of its last five contests. Plus, head basketball coach Leonard Hamilton will be coaching his last season with the program.
It is a bittersweet moment for Coach Hamilton. He has built the program into something unexpectedly good, given the circumstances of being in the ACC with powerhouses such as Duke and North Carolina.
With that said, all good things must come to an end at some point.
The coaching search is on in Tallahassee as athletic director Michael Alford has an important decision to make for whoever takes over as the next men's basketball coach.
Fans speculated that both Boston Celtics assistant Sam Cassell and Sacramento Kings assistant Luke Loucks would be the two selections, especially since they have familiarity with the program and have played here.
Here are a few names in the mix for the Florida State job, sources told @TheFieldOf68:
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) March 4, 2025
Celtics assistant Sam Cassell
Kings assistant Luke Loucks
UAB coach Andy Kennedy
Arkansas State coach Bryan Hodgson
Samford coach Bucky McMillan
Duke assistant Chris Carrawell
However, according to a report from Field of 68 Basketball Analyst Jeff Goodman, there are more names that Seminole fans need to focus on.
The four other candidates are UAB coach Andy Kennedy, Arkansas State coach Bryan Hodgson, Samford coach Bucky McMillian, and Duke assistant Chris Carrawell.
Kennedy is personally a coach that I am intrigued by if the Seminoles pursue. He previously was a head coach at Ole Miss where nine of the 12 seasons with the Rebels, Kennedy's teams had 20+ wins. Ole Miss struggled in 2017 where they finished 11-16, but Kennedy decided to go back to his alma mater (UAB) where he has an impressive 120-47 overall record with the Blazers in five years.
Nonetheless, whoever they hire, they need to set a standard for Florida State's men's basketball and set a winning culture that resolves around competing for conference championships and making the NCAA Tournament.