Syracuse Hires Kimani Young, Dan Hurley Protege, as New Head Coach

Young led UConn to back-to-back national titles, aims to revive struggling Syracuse program

Mar. 15, 2026 at 7:05pm

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The Syracuse basketball program has hired Kimani Young, a protege of UConn head coach Dan Hurley, as its new head coach. Young, a New York City native, led the Huskies to national championships in 2023 and 2024 as an assistant coach. He will now take over a Syracuse team that has struggled in recent years, missing the NCAA Tournament in the past two seasons under former head coach Adrian Autry.

Why it matters

Syracuse is one of the most storied college basketball programs, with a rich history and passionate fan base. The team's recent downturn has been disappointing for the community, and the hiring of Young represents an opportunity to restore the program to its former glory. Young's championship pedigree and New York roots make him an intriguing candidate to revive the Orange.

The details

Young, 42, has been an assistant coach at UConn for the past five seasons, helping lead the Huskies to back-to-back national titles in 2023 and 2024. Prior to that, he served as the athletics director at New Heights Youth, a prominent AAU program in New York City. Young's strong recruiting ties in the Northeast, combined with his experience winning at the highest level, make him an attractive choice to replace the departed Adrian Autry.

  • Syracuse parted ways with former head coach Adrian Autry earlier this week.
  • Young led UConn to national championships in 2023 and 2024 as an assistant coach.

The players

Kimani Young

The new head coach of the Syracuse basketball program, Young is a 42-year-old New York City native who has served as an assistant coach at UConn for the past five seasons, helping lead the Huskies to back-to-back national titles in 2023 and 2024.

Dan Hurley

The head coach of the UConn Huskies, Hurley has mentored Young and helped him develop into one of the top young coaches in the country.

Adrian Autry

The former head coach of the Syracuse basketball program, Autry was let go earlier this week after three seasons at the helm, during which the team failed to reach the NCAA Tournament.

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What they’re saying

“The buzz from national observers is that Young and Luke Murray (see below) are both expected to be considered for high-major head coaching jobs this offseason. Young is a New York City guy, having played high school basketball in Queens, N.Y. He's been instrumental to the Huskies winning back-to-back national championships in 2023 and 2024.”

— Neil Adler, Writer, Inside the Loud House (Inside the Loud House)

What’s next

Young will now begin the process of assembling his coaching staff and recruiting players to help turn around the Syracuse program. His first task will be to evaluate the current roster and determine which players fit his system and vision for the team.

The takeaway

The hiring of Kimani Young represents a bold move by Syracuse to bring in a young, up-and-coming coach with a proven track record of success. His championship pedigree and New York roots make him an intriguing choice to revive the Orange and restore the program to its former glory.