Florida State Hires Luke Loucks as Men’s Basketball Coach
Luke Loucks to lead Florida State Men’s Basketball
Table of Contents
- Luke Loucks to lead Florida State Men’s Basketball
- Luke Loucks to lead Florida State Men’s basketball
Florida State University has tapped alumnus luke Loucks as its next head men’s basketball coach. Loucks, 34, has agreed to a five-year deal and is set to revitalize the Seminoles program.
Loucks Returns to Tallahassee
A former Seminoles player himself (2008-12), Loucks brings a deep understanding of Florida State basketball. His recent experiance as an assistant coach with the Sacramento Kings adds a valuable dimension to his coaching profile.
loucks steps into the role previously held by Leonard Hamilton, who retired at the end of the season. The official introduction is scheduled for Monday at a press conference in Tallahassee. Notably, Jai Lucas will be introduced at Miami on the same day.
Statements from Florida State Leadership
FSU Athletic Director Michael Alford expressed his enthusiasm:
I’m excited to announce that Luke Loucks has accepted our offer to become the next head men’s basketball coach at Florida State. Luke will bring a unique combination of qualities to our program, and I’m excited to begin the next chapter of our basketball history under his leadership. Throughout basketball at both the professional and collegiate levels, Luke has earned a reputation as one of the rising stars in coaching. Having been a key part of some of the best of what FSU basketball has been as a player,he also brings proven ability to develop players at the highest level of the sport.
Florida State President Richard McCullough echoed this sentiment:
I am thrilled to welcome Luke Loucks back to Florida State University as our next head men’s basketball coach. Luke’s exceptional coaching ability, profound leadership skills, and extensive basketball knowledge make him the perfect fit to lead our program. As a former Seminole, he understands the values and traditions that define FSU basketball. I am confident that under his guidance, Florida State will continue to achieve great success and uphold the proud legacy of Seminole basketball. Welcome home,Coach Loucks!
NBA Coaching Experience
Before accepting the head coach position,Loucks honed his skills as an assistant coach with the Sacramento Kings. he also gained experience with the Golden state warriors and Phoenix Suns.
Loucks shared his excitement about returning to Florida State:
I am incredibly honored and excited for the prospect to become the head coach for the Florida State men’s basketball team. FSU has a rich basketball tradition, and I look forward to building on the legacy of our previous coaches, especially Coach Hamilton. I’d like to thank the Sacramento Kings, Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors for providing me with a strong coaching foundation. I’m eager to build our coaching staff with the best and brightest basketball coaches in America. They will have characteristics that support and push me while helping me build and develop a competitive team year after year. We will have a standard that we stick to on and off the court that will help build a championship-level culture. I am privileged to have seen firsthand what winning feels like at florida State, and I am hungry for more.
Working with NBA All-Stars
during his time in the NBA, Loucks had the opportunity to work with several perennial All-Stars, including Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, demar DeRozan, De’Aaron Fox, Domantas sabonis, and Zach Lavine. His tenure with Golden State saw Durant earn two NBA Finals MVP awards and first-team All-NBA selections. Curry also received three first-team All-NBA honors,and Green was named NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2017.
loucks outlined his vision for the team:
Our staff will recruit and fill our roster with competitive, high-IQ and highly skilled players with professional basketball aspirations. Our job is to mold those individuals into a cohesive unit that understands our vision and the way we want to play. My wife and three children are thrilled to move back home to Florida, where our families live and community ties are strong. We can’t wait to build something special in Tallahassee.
Championship Pedigree
Loucks was part of the Golden State Warriors coaching staff that secured back-to-back NBA championships in 2017 and 2018. The Warriors dominated the 2017 Playoffs with a 16-1 record,setting an NBA record for the best winning percentage in a single playoff season.
Alford added:
I’m very excited about the future of our men’s basketball program, and also very pleased that this new era will represent a bridge to a prosperous past with a path to an even brighter future. I’m also excited that Luke and his wife, Stevi, both intimately understand the experience of being an FSU student-athlete. They understand what a special place this is, and I’m extremely grateful for their desire to want to be part of it again.
sacramento Kings Assistant Coach
Before his return to Tallahassee, Loucks served as an assistant coach for the Sacramento Kings for three seasons. In 2024-25, he was the team’s defensive coordinator, contributing to their best defensive performance in 20 years. The 2022-23 Kings team achieved a record-breaking offensive efficiency rating of 119.4.
In his first season with the Kings (2022-23), the team achieved a 48-34 record, marking their most wins since 2004-05, and returned to the Playoffs for the first time since 2005-06. He also coached the Nigerian National Team, leading them to a victory over Team USA in a pre-Olympics exhibition game and achieving the highest average of steals per game (11.0) at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Collegiate Career at FSU
As a player,Loucks helped lead FSU to the NCAA Tournament in all four of his seasons,a program first. He earned All-ACC Tournament Team honors in 2012 after leading Florida State to their first ACC Tournament title.
In the ACC Championship Game against top-seeded North Carolina,Loucks tied the program record with 13 assists. He ranks fourth in FSU history with 136 career games played and tenth with 391 career assists. Following his FSU career, Loucks played professionally in Europe and the NBA progress League.
Education and Family
Loucks earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from Florida State in 2011 and a master’s degree in sport management in 2012. He and his wife, Stevi, have three children. Stevi competed in swimming events for FSU from 2006-10. His sister, Emma, played on the Florida State women’s basketball team, and their father, Lincoln, is also an alumnus of Florida state.
Luke Loucks Coaching History
| Year | Position | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 2025- | Head Coach | Florida State |
| 2022-25 | Assistant Coach | Sacramento Kings (NBA) |
| 2021-22 | Basketball Strategy and Personnel Evaluation | Phoenix Suns (NBA) |
| 2019-21 | Player Development Coach | Golden State Warriors (NBA) |
| 2017-19 | Two-Way Player Development Coach | Golden State Warriors (NBA) |
| 2016-17 | Film and Player Development Intern | Golden State warriors (NBA) |
Luke Loucks to lead Florida State Men’s basketball
Florida State University has tapped alumnus Luke Loucks as its next head men’s basketball coach. Loucks, 34, has agreed to a five-year deal and is set to revitalize the Seminoles program.
Loucks returns to Tallahassee
A former Seminoles player himself (2008-12), Loucks brings a deep understanding of Florida State basketball. His rec
We are thrilled to announce that Luke Loucks has accepted our offer to become the next head men’s basketball coach at Florida State. Luke will bring a unique combination of qualities to our program, and I’m excited to begin the next chapter of our basketball history under his leadership.throughout basketball at both the professional and collegiate levels, Luke has earned a reputation as one of the rising stars in coaching. Having been a key part of some of the best of what FSU basketball has been as a player,he also brings proven ability to develop players at the highest level of the sport.
Florida State President Richard McCullough echoed this sentiment:
I am thrilled to welcome Luke Loucks back to Florida State University as our next head men’s basketball coach. Luke’s remarkable coaching ability, profound leadership skills, and extensive basketball knowledge make him the perfect fit to lead our program. As a former Seminole,he understands the values and traditions that define FSU basketball. I am confident that under his guidance, Florida State will continue to achieve great success and uphold the proud legacy of Seminole basketball. Welcome home,Coach Loucks!
NBA Coaching Experience
Before accepting the head coach position, Loucks honed his skills as an assistant coach with the sacramento Kings. he also gained experience with the Golden state warriors and Phoenix Suns.
Loucks shared his excitement about returning to Florida State:
I am incredibly honored and excited for the prospect to become the head coach for the Florida State men’s basketball team. FSU has a rich basketball tradition, and I look forward to building on the legacy of our previous coaches, especially Coach Hamilton. I’d like to thank the Sacramento Kings, Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors for providing me with a strong coaching foundation. I’m eager to build our coaching staff with the best and brightest basketball coaches in America. They will have characteristics that support and push me while helping me build and develop a competitive team year after year. We will have a standard that we stick to on and off the court that will help build a championship-level culture.I am privileged to have seen firsthand what winning feels like at florida State, and I am hungry for more.
Working with NBA All-stars
During his time in the NBA, Loucks had the possibility to work with several perennial All-Stars, including Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, demar DeRozan, de’Aaron Fox, Domantas sabonis, and Zach Lavine. His tenure with Golden State saw Durant earn two NBA Finals MVP awards and first-team All-NBA selections. Curry also received three first-team All-NBA honors,and Green was named NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2017.
Loucks outlined his vision for the team:
Our staff will recruit and fill our roster with competitive, high-IQ and highly skilled players with professional basketball aspirations. Our job is to mold those individuals into a cohesive unit that understands our vision and the way we want to play. My wife and three children are thrilled to move back home to Florida, where our families live and community ties are strong. We can’t wait to build something special in Tallahassee.
championship Pedigree
loucks was part of the Golden State Warriors coaching staff that secured back-to-back NBA championships in 2017 and 2018. The Warriors dominated the 2017 Playoffs with a 16-1 record, setting an NBA record for the best winning percentage in a single playoff season.
Alford added:
I’m very excited about the future of our men’s basketball program, and also very pleased that this new era will represent a bridge to a prosperous past with a path to an even brighter future. I’m also excited that Luke and his wife, Stevi, both intimately understand the experience of being an FSU student-athlete. They understand what a special place this is, and I’m extremely grateful for their desire to want to be part of it again.
Sacramento Kings Assistant Coach
Before his return to Tallahassee, Loucks served as an assistant coach for the Sacramento Kings for three seasons. In 2024-25, he was the team’s defensive coordinator, contributing to their best defensive performance in 20 years. The 2022-23 Kings team achieved a record-breaking offensive efficiency rating of 119.4.
In his first season with the Kings (2022-23), the team achieved a 48-34 record, marking their most wins since 2004-05, and returned to the Playoffs for the first time since 2005-06. He also coached the Nigerian National Team, leading them to a victory over Team USA in a pre-Olympics exhibition game and achieving the highest average of steals per game (11.0) at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Collegiate Career at FSU
As a player, Loucks helped lead FSU to the NCAA Tournament in all four of his seasons, a program first. He earned All-ACC Tournament Team honors in 2012 after leading Florida State to their first ACC Tournament title.
In the ACC Championship Game against top-seeded North Carolina, Loucks tied the program record with 13 assists. He ranks fourth in FSU history with 136 career games played and tenth with 391 career assists. Following his FSU career, Loucks played professionally in Europe and the NBA progress League.
education and Family
Loucks earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from Florida State in 2011 and a master’s degree in sport management in 2012. He and his wife, Stevi, have three children. Stevi competed in swimming events for FSU from 2006-10. His sister, Emma, played on the Florida state women’s basketball team, and their father, Lincoln, is also an alumnus of Florida state.
Luke Loucks Coaching History
| Year | Position | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 2025- | Head Coach | Florida State |
| 2022-25 | Assistant Coach | Sacramento Kings (NBA) |
| 2021-22 | Basketball Strategy and Personnel Evaluation | Phoenix Suns (NBA) |
| 2019-21 | Player Development Coach | Golden State Warriors (NBA) |
| 2017-19 | Two-Way Player development Coach | Golden State Warriors (NBA) |
| 2016-17 | Film and Player Development Intern | Golden State Warriors (NBA) |
Deeper Dive into Loucks’ FSU Playing Career
During his time as a Seminole, Luke Loucks was known for his leadership, basketball IQ, and playmaking ability. While the team made the NCAA tournament each year, his individual contributions were crucial.
- 2008-2009: As a freshman, Loucks quickly integrated into the team, providing valuable minutes off the bench. He demonstrated poise and court awareness beyond his years, contributing to FSU’s prosperous season. notably, the Seminoles advanced to the NCAA Tournament’s second round, showcasing the young team’s potential.
- 2009-2010: Loucks continued to develop, taking on a more meaningful role in the team’s offense. He displayed his knack for finding open teammates and making smart decisions with the ball. While the Seminoles again reached the NCAA tournament, they faced a tough early exit.
- 2010-2011: Loucks’ junior year saw him emerge as a key leader for the Seminoles. His assist numbers increased as he became the primary facilitator on offense.The team once again reached the NCAA Tournament, demonstrating Loucks’ consistent impact on the program’s success. FSU made it to the Sweet Sixteen that season, their deepest run in recent memory.
- 2011-2012: Loucks’ senior season was his most memorable.He captained the team to their first-ever ACC Tournament Championship. His performance in the championship game against North Carolina, where he tied the program record with 13 assists, solidified his legacy as a Seminole legend. As a senior, he averaged 6.9 points, 4.8 assists, and 2.7 rebounds.
Loucks’ dedication to the Seminoles extended beyond his on-court performance. He was known for his high character and work ethic, earning him respect from teammates and coaches alike.he set the standard of excellence in the FSU basketball program.
Contract Details
While specific financial terms were not immediately disclosed, sources indicate that Loucks’ five-year contract includes a base salary competitive with other head coaching positions in the ACC. Performance-based incentives tied to NCAA Tournament appearances, ACC championships, and team academic performance are also expected to be part of the agreement.
Coaching Philosophy
Loucks is known for his emphasis on player development and creating a positive team habitat centered around a strong defensive foundation.He also intends to create a fast-paced offense, similar to the offensive output he managed with the Kings.
Sacramento kings Assistant Coach - Statistical Highlights
During loucks tenure with the Sacramento Kings, his defensive stratagies lead to the improved performance of Domantas and de’Aaron both selected that year for the All-Star Game.According to official NBA statistics,
- Sacramento kings during the 2024 regular season, ranked 24th in defensive rating (116.7) and 24th in opponent points per game (116.6);
- Kings had games where they held their opponents below 100 points, resulting in increased win percentages and overall team morale.