Miami Hurricanes Basketball: Jim Larranaga addresses FBI probe

The University of Miami Men’s Basketball team had their media day at the Watsco center on campus on Monday. This was the first time the media got to speak to head coach Jim Larranaga since the news of the FBI investigation broke. And it was eventful.

According to Matt Porter of the Palm Beach Post who was on hand for the event, Coach Larranaga said his legal team believes that he is “coach-3”, referring to the anonymous moniker given in the FBI’s released complaint.

Larranaga and his legal team previously said they are fully cooperating with the FBI investigation, and that the 68 year old coach, and his assistants, will be exonerated of any wrong doing once the facts are known.

“It’s been a strain, physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually,” Larranaga said of the investigation, per Porter’s report above. “It’s something that’s there. I have to deal with it. I have the support of my wife and a wonderful family. I have the support of the university, my staff and players.”

Larranaga’s connection to the FBI investigation will be known clearly in the days and weeks to come. Even in the face of today’s comments, and the previous reports that he, his legal team, and the University of Miami were all cooperating with the investigation, Larranaga has maintained that he would exonerated of any wrongdoing.

According to Porter’s report, when asked about his connection to former adidas executive Jim Gatto, an already-arrested and named defendant in this case, Coach Larranaga declined to comment.

As for his team, Canes Hoops enters the 2017-18 season with their highest preseason ranking ever: 12th. There’s plenty of talent on the team, but it will take focus to ignore the outside circumstances, more for the coach than the players at current.