‘He’s a Legend’: Jim Larrañaga Praised by Miami Players After Loss to UConn

When asked after Miami’s Final Four loss about the impact Jim Larrañaga has had on his college career, Harlond Beverly’s response was short.

“A good one.”

The three-word answer was simple and direct, but the emotions displayed during it told so much more.

The fourth-year guard shook his head and slightly winced while the question was being asked, appearing to internalize the emotions that were beginning to come out. He took a moment to respond, but after doing so, he reflectively smiled.

Larrañaga has coached Beverly for four years. The two have experienced painful losing seasons and unprecedented postseason glory together.

This refrain of emotion revealed the bond that Larrañaga and Beverly have built, a bond that “Coach L” has aimed to form with his players in his over 50 years of coaching.

“Honestly, I feel like if all I ever did with my life was teach kids how to dribble, pass and shoot, my life would not be very worthwhile,” Larrañaga said in a pre-Final Four press conference. “I feel like my job is to mentor them and to help prepare them when they’re no longer playing basketball, to learn life skills, to develop their own philosophy, own values of the things that are important to them.”

Anthony Walker, who arrived at UM with Beverly, credits Larrañaga as a reason why he would choose Miami if he were to go back and make that college decision again.

“I’ve been through the worst seasons we could possibly have and then obviously this year was the best season the university has ever had so just being able to go through it with Coach L, being able to be under his wing and mentor me for the past couple years has meant a lot to me. It’s made me a way better basketball player than I was and more importantly a way better person,” Walker said.

Senior Jordan Miller has been one of the hallmarks of Miami’s recent success. He transferred to UM in 2021, partly because of the shared connection that he and Larrañaga had. Miller had played at George Mason, and Larrañaga had coached there.

Miller and Larrañaga shared a special moment together near the end of Miami’s postseason loss. The head coach and player hugged after Miller was subbed out of the game. After this embrace, Larrañaga formed a huddle with Miller and the two other starters who were also leaving the floor.

“I mean, Coach L, man, the legend. He’s been very special to me. Not only is he a coach, he’s a teacher. He’s a leader. He’s taught me things about basketball. He’s taught me things about just being a man in general,” Miller said. “And to address that final situation, he just told us he loved us. He was proud of us.”

Isaiah Wong, along with Norchad Omier, was also a part of that last-minute huddle.

“Coach L, he’s a great person to be around on and off the court … He just always has been there for me. I feel like he got me to this point, and he’s just been helping the team too. And he just loves us all as a person, and off the court he always calls to check up on us,” Wong said. 

“He’s a legend, and he’s going to keep on proving it with these upcoming years.”