Miami Hurricanes men’s head basketball coach Jim Larrañaga steps down, cites NIL: ‘I’m exhausted’
By Jill Martin, CNN
(CNN) — A move that once felt shocking is becoming less so: Another men’s college basketball head coach is walking away.
Miami Hurricanes men’s basketball head coach Jim Larrañaga – the winningest head coach in program history – has stepped down from his position in the middle of his 14th season in Coral Gables, Florida. His decision comes less than two years after he led Miami to its first men’s Final Four.
His reasons for his sudden departure echo former head coach Tony Bennett, who stepped down at Virginia ahead of the start of the season.
“At this point, after 53 years, I just didn’t feel like that I could successfully navigate this whole new world that I was dealing with,” Larrañaga, referencing name, image and likeness deals (NIL), said to reporters in a press conference Thursday.
The Hurricanes’ record currently sits at 4-8, and they went 15-17 the previous season. Assistant coach Bill Courtney has been named interim head coach.
“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% of yourself, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually?” Larrañaga, 75, said. “And quite frankly, I’ve tried to do that throughout my life and throughout my time here, but I’m exhausted.”
Miami athletics director Dan Radakovich said that Larrañaga came to him Sunday saying he wanted to discuss stepping down. The decision was finalized Monday.
“Like all of us in intercollegiate athletics, there is so much uncertainty,” Radakovich said. “The change in rules. Name, image and likeness demands from agents. Unlimited transfers, et cetera. You can go on and on in these changing times. All of which takes so much time, effort and energy away from actually coaching.”
In his time at Miami, Larrañaga led the Hurricanes to six NCAA tournaments, including four trips to the Sweet Sixteen, their first Elite Eight (2022) and their first Final Four (2023). He also led Miami to its first ACC tournament title (2013).
He came to Miami after 14 seasons at George Mason, where Larrañaga in 2006 led the mid-major on a Cinderella run to the Final Four as a No. 11 seed. Larrañaga also was a head coach at Bowling Green.
On Thursday, Larrañaga spoke about how eight players from his Final Four team opted to put their names in the transfer portal despite saying they enjoyed their time at Miami. He cited their opportunity to make money someplace else.
“You have to begin to ask yourself as a coach, what is this all about? And the answer is it’s become professional,” he said.
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