Florida State is close to full strength as a team as it prepares for its first round matchup on Saturday against No. 13 seed UNC Greensboro with one notable exception: Leonard Hamilton.
The Seminoles coach ruptured his Achilles on Sunday night trying to get off the team bus. Hamilton, 72, misjudged how far down the step was from the bus and fell to the ground, causing the injury.
"Listen, if this is the only issue I'm going to have in life, I'm going to have a great life. I've never been injured and I ruptured my Achilles. But hey listen, I'm fine," he said in an interview on ESPN radio.
Hamilton and Florida State are already in the NCAA Tournament bubble and he is walking around on his own power despite the significant injury, a team spokesman told The Tallahassee Democrat. His spirits seem to be high as well, as he offered an alternate -- if not optimistic -- explanation for how he injured himself.
"What happened was I was chasing a referee after the game the other night in the parking lot and something happened," Hamilton joked. "But he's not in good shape either."
The good news for Florida State is that nothing significant should change in its approach and its roster is at full strength. Hamilton may find it a bit more difficult to roam around the sideline on Saturday and in the NCAA Tournament bubble the rest of the week, but fourth-seeded FSU is still locked in as a real threat in the East Region to be a darkhorse Final Four team because of its length, experience and skill.
"Nothing will change," he said of the injury and what it means. "Zero."
