Washington has reportedly fired 2x Pac-12 COY Mike Hopkins ahead of March Madness 2024
Washington Huskies head coach Mike Hopkins has been relieved of his duties as head coach in the Pac-12 league. This news comes after Washington's record ended at 17-14 (9-11) in the conference after a victory over #18-seeded Washington State.
Pete Thamel, a senior college basketball writer for ESPN, shared the news on X:
"Washington has informed coach Mike Hopkins he will not return next season. He will coach in the Pac-12 Tournament and any postseason in 2024 but will not return for the 2024-25. He had one year left on his deal and they buyout in his contract is nearly $3.1 million."
The news comes as a bit of a shock, given the glowing start Hopkins gave to his tenure in Washington. Following a long stint as an assistant head coach at Syracuse, Mike Hopkins immediately changed the face of the franchise.
He won back-to-back Coach of the Year Awards in his first two seasons, even leading the Huskies to an NCAA Division I Round of 32 appearance in the 2018-19 season, following a 1st-ranked finish in the conference.
With Washington transitioning to the Big Ten, their demands might be for a more experienced head coach to help them make and sustain the transition. The belief is that experience will be one of the biggest factors taken into consideration.
Mike Hopkins before Washington
After becoming an instant fan favorite during his playing days at Syracuse, Mike Hopkins joined the team's coaching staff soon after his career was over. From there, he embarked on a stint spanning more than two decades taking on many roles for the franchise.
Whether it was recruiting and developing guards, being a court coach for Team USA in 1998, 2000, 2001, 2010, and 2012, or as the men's basketball head coach-designate, Hopkins achieved a lot during his time there, solidifying himself as one of the best basketball minds of his time.
While his time at the University of Washington may have come to an unfortunate end, it remains to be seen where the next phase of his career takes him after this season's knockouts are over. After finishing his coaching commitments for the season, both the conference tournament and any postseason play if available, Hopkins will officially end his tenure with the Huskies.
Where would you like to see Mike Hopkins go for his next coaching tenure? Let us know in the comments below.