After nearly a decade of NBA assistant coaching experience, Sacramento Kings assistant Luke Loucks will be returning to his alma mater and taking over as the head coach of Florida State basketball. Loucks, 34 years old, will be succeeding Leonard Hamilton, who was his coach when he played for the Seminoles.
“I don’t know how to put it into words, but it’s like it was meant to be this whole time,” Loucks said via ESPN. “This whole journey led me to this point.”
Loucks hopes to bring his alma mater back to a competitive status in the ACC. He is excited to continue the standard Loucks has set for the program in his tenure.
“I’ve won at Florida State at a very high level, and I was fortunate to be a small part on some great teams, and I hope to bring that success that Coach Hamilton started,” Loucks said. “He’s laid an unbelievable foundation, but to go back home to where I played, and to go replace a man of great character, who has had such an impact in my life, you cannot write the story better.”
Kings head coach Mike Brown, who has had Loucks on staff for a while, has been confident in his coaching abilities for a long time.
“As a young guy, he’s experienced a lot in a short amount of time, which has really helped him grow quickly,” Brown said. “He’s really knowledgeable offensively, defensively, analytically. He thinks out of the box. He’s not afraid to take chances but the biggest thing is he’s a connector. When you’re able to connect well with people, I don’t care what job you’re doing, you’re going to be able to find a way to have success.”
Florida State basketball went 17-14 during the regular season, a mark Loucks will hope to improve.
Loucks ready for challenge with Florida State basketball
One concern had about Luke Loucks is his lack of experience. He is confident his background as a former player for Florida State basketball will help him get the job done.
“With my lack of experience, there are going to be question marks,” Loucks said. “But the reality is, I understand Florida State, I understand the dynamics. I understand what goes into winning at Florida State. I’ve not only seen it, but I’ve experienced it, and I’ve lived it.
Loucks is sure his familiarity with the community will pay dividends and help him get the Seminoles back on track.
“That gives me a head start,” Loucks said. “So, if you want someone to lead this team that gets it right, and who understands what type of people succeed here, what type of people won’t succeed here, and how to recruit, and how do we evaluate those people? To me, you’re not going to find a better person for the job.”
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