UPDATE: Luke Loucks tells Kings he is leaving to coach FSU Basketball
Sacramento Kings assistant coach Luke Loucks told the NBA team’s players today that he is leaving to be the next head men’s basketball coach at Florida State.
Warchant and other media outlets reported earlier Friday that Loucks had emerged as the leading candidate to replace Leonard Hamilton. Contract details are expected to be finalized this weekend, with Loucks expected to be named head coach as soon as Monday.
Here is video of Loucks telling the Kings’ players the news during a Friday practice:
Kings center Jonas Valančiūnas then discussed the news with reporters after practice.
FIRST REPORT
Sacramento Kings assistant coach Luke Loucks, a former Florida State point guard, has emerged as the top candidate to be the Seminoles’ next men’s basketball head coach, Warchant’s Jeff Cameron has been told by numerous sources with knowledge of the situation.
Loucks could be announced as early as Monday — two days after Leonard Hamilton coaches his final home game on Saturday against SMU.
Loucks was a point guard at Florida State from 2008-12 and played a key role on four consecutive NCAA Tournament teams. One of his claims to fame at FSU was delivering the pass that set up Michael Snaer’s buzzer-beating, game-winning 3-pointer at Duke in 2012.
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After his college days, Loucks played professional basketball overseas for four years before beginning his NBA coaching career with the Golden State Warriors in 2016. Over the next five years, Loucks moved progressively higher in the Warriors’ organization before taking a similar position with the Phoenix Suns in 2021-22. Since the summer of 2022, he has been an assistant coach with the NBA’s Sacramento Kings.
Loucks also was an assistant coach for the Nigerian national team in 2020-21 and helped coach that team in the Olympics. Coming from a family with strong Seminole ties, Loucks has remained close to the Florida State program since his playing days. His wife, Stevi, is also a former Seminole swimmer.
Hamilton is stepping down after a 23-year tenure. Barring a string of major upsets, that run likely will end next week at the ACC Tournament in Charlotte.
Stay connected with Warchant.com for more on this story.
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