FSU's Leonard Hamilton honored with Joe Lapchick Character Award
Add one more prestigious award to the trophy case of Florida State men's basketball head coach Leonard Hamilton.
Hamilton is one of four recipients of this year's Joe Lapchick Character Award, given annually to the people who make the biggest impact on and off the basketball court.
Along with Hamilton, former Belmont head coach Rick Byrd, former WNBA president and current Big East Commissioner Val Ackerman, and former La Salle head coach Speedy Morris were also selected.
The award is named after Joe Lapchick, a former player and NBA and college head coach with the New York Knicks and St. John's University.
Hamilton, FSU's all-time winningest coach in program history, joins fellow legends such as Duke's Mike Krzyzewski, Georgetown's John Thompson, Tennessee's Pat Summit and North Carolina's Dean Smith as honorees.
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According to the award's website, the Lapchick Award and Foundation, "is committed to encouraging and promoting good character in the sport of basketball."
Originating in 2008, three to four head coaches and players from men's and women's NCAA basketball are selected each year.
During his storied basketball career, which began as a player at Gaston Community College and Tennessee-Martin, Hamilton has won conference Coach of the Year honors five times (three with FSU in ACC, and two with Miami in the Big East).
Hamilton was the first-ever coach to win the award in both the ACC and Big East.
Before FSU, Hamilton also coached the NBA's Washington Wizards and Oklahoma State, and he was a key assistant at Kentucky for more than a decade, including the Wildcats' 1978 national title team.
Entering his 21st season at FSU as one of the longest-tenured coaches in the nation, Hamilton has 417 career wins as well as three Sweet 16s and an Elite 8 appearance in his time with the 'Noles.
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