‘I’m exhausted:’ Miami basketball coach Jim Larrañaga resigns, citing new NIL challenges

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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — A seismic change is coming for Miami Hurricanes basketball, as longtime coach Jim Larrañaga is stepping down after more than 13 seasons at the helm in Coral Gables, the veteran coach announced Thursday.

Bill Courtney, Larrañaga’s associate head coach, is expected to take over as the team’s interim coach, the school announced.

Larrañaga, 75, has been Miami’s head coach since 2011-12 and led the team to its best performance in the NCAA Tournament in 2023. But this year’s team is off to a disastrous 4-8 start, including disappointing home losses to Charleston Southern and Mount St. Mary’s.

“I love the game,” Larrañaga said. “I’ve loved coaching it. I love practice every day. I love working with the players. But because I love the game and I love the university that much, I felt like, OK, there’s one thing you’ve got to constantly ask yourself: Are you going to give everything you have, the commitment that it deserves, 100 percent of yourself, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually?

“And quite frankly, I’ve tried to do that throughout my life an throughout my time here, but I’m exhausted.”

Larrañaga was under contract through the 2026-27 season, but he cited the challenge of coaching in college basketball’s changing environment as the reason why he ultimately decided he had enough.

Athletic director Dan Radakovich said Larrañaga informed him of his decision on Sunday, and Radakovich tried to persuade him to stay. On Monday, Larrañaga informed Radakovich of his final decision. The UM AD said the decision was purely Larrañaga’s, and the athletic department is going to work with Larrañaga to keep him involved with the program.

“Of course, my admiration for Jim and our basketball program, I certainly asked him to reconsider, talked through a number of items,” Radakovich said. “But as I was going through my little spiel, I could tell that maybe this mind was already made up. But I felt like I had to do…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/m-exhausted-miami-basketball-coach-212500815.html

Author : South Florida Sun Sentinel

Publish date : 2024-12-26 21:25:00

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