James Leonard Hamilton is the current men’s basketball coach at Florida State University. He has previously held head coaching positions at Oklahoma State University and the University of Miami.
About Leonard Hamilton | Family and Education
James Leonard Hamilton was born on August 4, 1948, in Gastonia, North Carolina, to John Hamilton and Bennie Ruth.
Unfortunately, no additional information on this subject is available to the public. Aside from that, the 71-year-old grew up with his brother, Ray Jones, who is now a minor league coach.
Hamilton continued his schooling at the University of Tennessee at Martin.
Leonard played basketball for the college team throughout his stay there. In addition, the 71-year-old was a Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity member.
Professional Life and Career
When we talk about Leonard’s career, we automatically think of success.
Leonard began his coaching career as an assistant coach at Austin Peay State University in 1971 and gradually rose through the ranks until landing his big break at the University of Kentucky in 1974.
Hamilton won the NCAA Championship in 1978, was runner-up in 1975, and reached the Final Four in 1984 during his eight years with the squad.
Following that, Leonard accepted his first head coaching position with Oklahoma State University in 1986.
The 71-year-old led the Oklahoma State Cowboys to 7th, 6th, 4th, and 5th place finishes in four years.
Hamilton then spent a decade as the head coach of the University of Miami Hurricanes.
Furthermore, Leonard led his team to the NCAA Sweet 16 five times, with the NCAA Sweet 16 being the highest stage they could reach.

Wizards of Washington
Hamilton was hired to lead the Washington Wizards of the NBA in the year 2000.
The NBA, though, was not what drew him to the Wizards. Instead, it was the chance to manage basketball’s greatest player, Michael Jordan.
Even though the 2000-2001 season did not go as planned for both sides, Hamilton received vital knowledge that he would later use in his career.
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University of Florida
Leonard has been the men’s basketball coach at Florida State University since leaving the Washington Wizards. In other words, the 71-year-old has spent 18 years at the company.
Similarly, Hamilton has three National Coach of the Year titles and 15 postseason appearances in those years.
In addition, he is the ACC’s seventh-winningest coach. As a result, it’s safe to say Leonard is having a great time in Florida.
Hamilton’s basketball camp is as successful as a result of his celebrity. Not to mention that he is famous for coming up with unique camp concepts.
Leonard Hamilton, a Gaston College graduate, will be inducted into the Florida State University Athletics Hall of Fame soon.
**Breaking News**?
REGISTRATION OPEN!! Leonard Hamilton Basketball Team Camp coming June 10-12, 2022!! Get ready for one of the hottest team camps in the country-limited spots available!! We look forward to continuing to build a relationship with you & your program!! #NewBlood pic.twitter.com/ToFiKM63CS— Jarrod Lazarus ? (@CoachLazarus) May 2, 2022
Leonard Hamilton FSU Coaching Record
Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason |
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2002–03 | Florida State | 14–15 | 4–12 | 9th | |
2003–04 | Florida State | 19–14 | 6–10 | T–7th | NIT Second Round |
2004–05 | Florida State | 12–19 | 4–12 | T–10th | |
2005–06 | Florida State | 20–10 | 9–7 | 5th | NIT Second Round |
2006–07 | Florida State | 22–13 | 7–9 | T–8th | NIT Quarterfinal |
2007–08 | Florida State | 19–15 | 7–9 | T–7th | NIT First Round |
2008–09 | Florida State | 25–10 | 10–6 | 4th | NCAA Division I Round of 64 |
2009–10 | Florida State | 22–10 | 10–6 | T–3rd | NCAA Division I Round of 64 |
2010–11 | Florida State | 23–11 | 11–5 | 3rd | NCAA Division I Sweet 16 |
2011–12 | Florida State | 25–10 | 12–4 | 3rd | NCAA Division I Round of 32 |
2012–13 | Florida State | 18–16 | 9–9 | 6th | NIT First Round |
2013–14 | Florida State | 22–14 | 9–9 | T–7th | NIT Semifinal |
2014–15 | Florida State | 17–16 | 8–10 | 9th | |
2015–16 | Florida State | 20–14 | 8–10 | T–11th | NIT Second Round |
2016–17 | Florida State | 26–9 | 12–6 | T–2nd | NCAA Division I Round of 32 |
2017–18 | Florida State | 23–12 | 9–9 | T–8th | NCAA Division I Elite Eight |
2018–19 | Florida State | 29–8 | 13–5 | 4th | NCAA Division I Sweet 16 |
2019–20 | Florida State | 26–5 | 16–4 | 1st | NCAA Division I Cancelled |
2020–21 | Florida State | 18–7 | 11–4 | 2nd | NCAA Division I Sweet 16 |
Florida State: | 399–228 (.636) | 176–146 (.547) |
Relationship Status
Leonard, predictably, belongs to the married club when it comes to his romantic life. For many years, the 71-year-old has been happily married to his wife, Claudette Hamilton.
In addition, the couple has one daughter, Allison Janae Hamilton, and another kid who is still unnamed. Unfortunately, the identity of the second child is yet unknown.
Leonard’s daughter, on the other hand, is a visual artist who works with photography, installation, sculpture, and taxidermy.
As a result, the 71-year-old must be a pleased father to have such a successful daughter.
Many people are also unaware that Hamilton, a former player, and current coach, is a co-founder of a gospel music label. To further his pastime, he even has a little record label called 5ive Oceans.
Leonard Hamilton had an Achilles tendon tear
The successful coach had surgery for a ruptured Achilles tendon in the first half of 2021. Hamilton had to begin strengthening and rehabilitation exercises for his left leg, so the stunt isn’t finished yet.
Similarly, doctors and medics are hopeful for a quick recovery.
The injury to the Florida State coach occurred on March 14, a day after the ACC Tournament.
Dana Jacobson and Leonard Hamilton
Leonard Hamilton was chastised in 2018 for being nasty or grouchy to reporter Dana Jacobson. This was not the case, as Dana, a Turner Sports reporter, quickly pointed out.
To be clear, Hamilton gave the interview immediately following their heartbreaking loss to Michigan.
Dana went on to mention how emotional the event was for the FSU squad and Hamilton, their coach.
Juwan Howard and Leonard Hamilton
Juwan Howard will face Leonard Hamilton as a rival after playing under him as a coach.
Former player Juwan is on his way to becoming a star coach after being dubbed “the ultimate professional” by Hamilton.
Howard also led the Wolverines to a 19-12 record last season. Not to mention, Juwan’s previous coach, Hamilton, is proud of his successes.
Congrats to former @FSUHoops assistant coach, Dennis Gates, being named the new Head Coach at Missouri. pic.twitter.com/Pj2SDstk51
— Leonard Hamilton (@FSUCoachHam) March 31, 2022
Net Worth | Leonard Hamilton
The head coach of Florida State is now one of the best in college basketball. As a result, Leonard earns a whopping $2.25 million, which is just astounding.
As a result, it should come as no surprise to learn that Hamilton has a $15 million net worth.
Leonard has been coaching for about 50 years, which is incredible.
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Contract
Leonard will earn a base salary of $2.25 million under the terms of the 2017 contract agreement with Florida State University.
But hold on! There’s more: he might make more than $3 million thanks to huge bonuses.
To begin, the 71-year-old will receive $225,000 if they make it to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament.
After that, he’ll get $250,000 for reaching the Elite Eight and $250,000 for reaching the Final Four.
Leonard will also receive $150,000 if he makes it to the final and a half-million dollars if the Florida State Seminoles win the NCAA Championship.
Body Measurement | Hair, Height, Nationality
Hamilton is currently 71 years old, having been born in the year 1948.
However, looking at his photo, one can’t help but be impressed by his youthful appearance, which, by the way, does not appear to be older than 50.
Similarly, Leonard is a Gastonia native. Gastonia is a significant city in North Carolina. As a result, Hamilton is a citizen of the United States.
Regrettably, his height and weight appear to be kept hidden from the wider public.
Moving on, in terms of horoscope, the North Carolina native is a Leo. The explanation for this is that he was born on August 4th.
Furthermore, Leos enjoy having their inclusive and dynamic personalities highlighted.
The Ten-Year Challenge
Hamilton, as we all know, appears to be much younger than his actual age of 71. As a result, everyone wants to know his youth’s secret. So, does he have a genuine fountain of youth?
The answer is obviously no. Hamilton did, however, reveal his secret during an interview. Leonard claims to not smoke or drink and to eat healthily.
He also mentioned that mentoring young basketball players makes him feel young and makes him appear to be under 50.
Social Media
Leonard is not a big social media user. He has 19.6k Twitter followers despite seldom using it.
Frequently Asked Question:
What made Leonard Hamilton decide to leave Miami?
Leonard, the top coach, left the Miami program in 2000 to coach Michael Jordan and the Washington Wizards.
Leonard Hamilton has how many victories?
Here, Leonard Hamilton, the famous coach, has 378 victories to his credit.
Quick Facts | Leonard Hamilton
Full Name | James Leonard Hamilton |
---|---|
Date of Birth | August 4, 1948 |
Birth Place | Gastonia, North Carolina, U.S.A |
Marital Status | Married |
Spouse | Claudette Hamilton |
Religion | Christian |
Nationality | American |
Age | 73 Years Old |
Profession | Basketball Coach |
Weight | Not available |
Teams | Florida State Seminoles (Current), Austin Peay, Univerity of Kentucky, Oklahoma State Cowboys, Miami Hurricanes, Washington Wizards (Former) |
Height | Not available |
Salary | $2.25 million per year |
Net Worth | $15 million |
Online Presence | |
Last Update | May 2022 |