The teams he had 2-3 years ago looked like they were going to be unstoppable fueled by NIL money…but his age and the demands upon coaches now, NIL money everywhere, the ACC no longer being the brand it was…it’s come apart despite having young talent.
Swartz their freshman SG was heavily recruited by UGA last year.
“That magical ride to the Final Four, following an Elite Eight run the previous year, should have catapulted the Miami program to national prominence. But Larranaga was unable to continue building on that success, due in part to a rash of injuries and the explosion of the transfer portal, which requires coaches to essentially recruit new rosters every season. The Hurricanes’ 2023-24 season began with a Final Four banner-raising ceremony, a No. 13 preseason national ranking, and high expectations. Their season ended with a 10-game losing thud, and without an invitation to the NCAA Tournament. The Canes wound up with a losing record (15-17) and finished second-to-last in 14th place in the ACC.
The other three 2023 Final Four teams (UConn, FAU, San Diego State) returned to the Big Dance. The UConn Huskies won the title again. Asked at the end of last season why the team slid so far, Larranaga said: “Isaiah Wong and Jordan Miller graduated. The game comes down to players. Last year we needed a bucket, I went right to Isaiah or Jordan, one of those two guys, and invariably they would deliver. We don’t really have that this year. Haven’t all season long.” Although several players were expected to take on the roles of Wong and Miller, none did. The coach explained how injuries to Pack, Poplar and Omier kept the team from reaching its full potential and how the team’s collective confidence and chemistry was affected once the losing streak got going.
That team fell apart last spring, as rosters all over the nation were decimated by the transfer portal as NIL money grew. The ACC had 104 players bolt, including eight from Miami. Omier left for Baylor, Poplar for Villanova and Bensley Joseph for Providence. Jakai Robinson and Favour Aire went to Bryant, Christian Watson to Southern Miss, AJ Casey to Saint Lous and Michael Nwoko to Mississippi State. Freshman Kyshawn George was picked No. 24 in the NBA Draft by the Washington Wizards. Pack is the only remaining player from UM’s 2023 Final Four team and, once again, is being hampered by an injury. This time, it’s a right ankle injury and the timeline for his return is unknown, according to the team trainer.
Larranaga did recruit one of the program’s most talented freshman classes with Jalil Bethea, Austin Swartz and Divine Ugochukwu. All three have shown flashes of their potential. Bethea, a five-star recruit from Philadelphia, came off the bench and gave UM a spark against Mount St. Mary’s. He finished with 17 points, four rebounds and two assists in 29 minutes. After the game, asked about the team’s morale heading into the holiday break, Bethea said: “The only thing we’re focusing on is January 1, our next game.” The Hurricanes play at Boston College on New Year’s Day. They will have a new coach. Larranaga’s danced his last dance.”
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