Florida State men's basketball program has struggled this season where they are sitting with a 13-9 record. I even mentioned that the Seminoles could be in play for an NCAA Tournament earlier, but likely needed some help. Ever since then, Florida State has lost four straight including their most recent defeat to Boston College.
It is out of character for me to write about the need for a major change in the men's basketball program. This is nothing against head men's basketball coach Leonard Hamilton. He is a tremendous human being, but his being in the final year of his contract and 76 years old had something to do with it.
Our very own Kelvin Hunt writing about the Seminoles taking the right direction for Leonard Hamilton for not returning next season. Hamilton had a combined 456–290 record with Florida State. He deserves his moment in the sun for a farewell tour. He is someone who has represented this university very proudly with his professionalism.
This is an opportunity to get the head basketball coach that it has been wanting for a while. With the baseball program, the Seminoles were able to get Link Jarrett, and Florida State outperformed expectations in his first season and made the College World Series.
While I get that it could be easier to win at Florida State with sports such as football and baseball, the Seminoles should strive to make the NCAA Tournament. One name that I know fans will be talking about is former point guard Sam Cassell.
Cassell had a phenomenal two-year playing career during the 1991 and 1992 seasons with Florida State, where he had 18.3 points per game, 4.4 rebounds per game, 4.4 assists per game, and 2.3 steals per game.
The point guard was selected with the 24th overall pick in the 1993 NBA Draft with the Houston Rockets. The former Seminole had a productive 15-year career in the NBA where he recorded 15.7 points per game, 6 assists per game, and 3.2 rebounds per game.
In terms of his coaching career, Cassell has been an assistant coach since 2009, where he has been on the Wizards, Clippers, 76ers, and Celtics (which he is currently employed with). While I know that he has only coached at the professional level, I know that Cassell could bring excitement that I know the fan base would buzz around the program.