Luke Loucks returning to Florida State to take over as Seminoles coach

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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Luke Loucks is returning to Florida State to take over as the coach of the Seminoles.

Florida State announced the hire on Sunday. The 34-year-old Loucks is replacing Leonard Hamilton, who is stepping down at the end of this season.

A Clearwater native, Loucks played at Florida State from 2008-12. He averaged 7.1 points and 3.3 rebounds as a senior and was part of a Seminoles team that defeated Miami, Duke and North Carolina on consecutive days to win the ACC Tournament title in March 2012.

Loucks had been an assistant coach for the NBA's Sacramento Kings since 2022. He also has worked for the Golden State Warriors, helping the team win NBA titles in 2017 and 2018, and Phoenix Suns.

Loucks has not been a head coach at the college or NBA level. But his experience working with NBA coaches like Steve Kerr and Mike Brown, along with his knowledge of the challenges of Florida State’s job, made him an attractive candidate.

“We will have a standard that we stick to on and off the court that will help build a championship-level culture,” Loucks said. “I am privileged to have seen firsthand what winning feels like at Florida State, and I am hungry for more.”

After playing pro basketball for three seasons in Europe and one in the NBA’s developmental league, Loucks has focused on player development in his three NBA stops. In Sacramento, he was in charge of the Kings’ defense — an area that Hamilton prioritized during his 23 seasons as Florida State’s coach.

“Luke was an exceptional Seminole player who played a key role in leading Florida State to its first ACC championship,” said Hamilton, 76. “I’m very proud to see him return as head coach of a program he helped elevate to such great heights.”

Florida State (17-14, 8-12) is the No. 11 seed for the ACC tournament, playing on Tuesday in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Athletic director Michael Alford said the search included college coaches and assistant coaches with extensive experience. But administrators opted not to pay a significant buyout to a college coach and chose Loucks in a search that ramped up after Hamilton announced his plans on Feb. 3.

“Luke will bring a unique combination of qualities to our program, and I’m excited to begin the next chapter of our basketball history under his leadership,” Alford said. “Throughout basketball at both the professional and collegiate levels, Luke has earned a reputation as one of the rising stars in coaching.”

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