Florida State basketball Leonard Hamilton announced he will be retiring at the end of the 2024-25 season, according to the Tallahassee Democrat on Monday. The 37-year head coach hade made numerous stops in his coaching career. However, he made a lasting impression with the Seminoles.

He compiled a 456-290 record in his 23 seasons in Tallahassee. During that time, Hamilton led the Seminoles to the 8 NCAA tournament appearances. They were a consistent threat in the ACC, even with blue bloods like Duke and North Carolina. However, he didn't have the best publicity with the Seminoles either.

6 former Florida State basketball players sued Hamilton over being promised NIL money. Either way, it doesn't take away from his success as a head coach. With his announcement, it gives the university time to look for its next head coach. Meanwhile, Hamilton and the university released a statement about his time with the Seminoles.

“I am deeply thankful for the tremendous support of our fans, alumni, and everyone associated with Florida State throughout my time here,” Hamilton said.

“I am proud of the quality of the young men that it was my privilege to lead. For their faith in this program and in their belief in the philosophy that we tried to instill in them over the years. I have been blessed beyond words for the opportunity and the experience we’ve had here.”

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Leonard Hamilton leaves a legacy with Florida State basketball

Even with NIL and the transfer portal hitting hard the past few years, Hamilton seemed to navigate it well. Despite being sued over promised NIL money, his legacy with the program speaks for itself. 23 seasons with one program is beyond impressive. They were consistently in the AP poll for a majority of his time.

However, it puts more attention on the program. The 13-9 record in an elite ACC conference led by Duke doesn't help. As a matter of fact, it might entice teams to try and embarrass the Seminoles because it's Hamilton's last game. Either way, his legacy will be enshrined in Tallahassee as soon as he retires.

As Florida State basketball takes on Notre Dame, the countdown is on for Hamilton. Even with the extra attention, he'll continue to attend to business as usual. Still, there's another element to factor in. Hamilton will likely enjoy every game from this point going forward. Respect will be given from every opponent, and every coach, to a consistent figure in college basketball.