FIU Panthers men's basketball

Isiah Thomas was the coach of FIU from 2009 to 2012 after an unsuccessful two-year stint with the New York Knicks of the NBA. His tenure started with provost Ronald Berkman introducing him as "Isiah Thompson" at an event.^[2] He was fired after the 2011–12 season, compiling a 26–65 record in three seasons at FIU.^[3]

On April 15, 2012, Richard Pitino left his position as the associate head coach at the University of Louisville to become the head coach at FIU. With only six players remaining from the previous season, and not all of them on scholarship, Pitino cobbled together a team and coached a high-pressure defense that finished eighth in the nation in steals. He was able to compile an 18–14 record (11-9 in the Sun Belt conference) in his only season as head coach. His FIU team set a record for the best conference record in school history. Additionally, FIU reached the Sun Belt tournament championship game as a four seed, before falling to Western Kentucky, 65–63.

On April 3, 2013, Richard Pitino was hired to become the next head coach at the University of Minnesota, replacing Tubby Smith.

On April 15, 2013, Anthony Evans left his position as head coach at Norfolk State University to become the head coach at FIU.

On April 2, 2018, FIU fired Evans after 5 seasons, in which the Panthers finished 65–94 with no postseason tournament appearances.^[4]

On April 20, 2018, VCU associate head coach Jeremy Ballard was hired by the Panthers for the head coaching job.^[5]

After a 20-win season in his first year and 19 wins during his second, FIU struggled under Ballard, never finishing higher than sixth in Conference USA or with more than eight wins during conference play, equaled in 2022-23 and 2025-26.

Nonetheless, Ballard became just the second coach in FIU history to surpass 100 career wins, doing so against Fort Lauderdale on November 18, 2025.^[6] He surpassed the FIU all-time wins record of 108 set by Rich Walker on February 4, 2026 in an 88-84 overtime victory at Middle Tennessee, the squad's first win in Murfreesboro since 2021.^[7]

Ballard racked up four more wins during the season before being dispatched by ninth-seeded Missouri State in the first round of the CUSA Tournament. It was announced that he would not return as FIU head coach on March 11, 2026, finishing his tenure with an overall record of 113-141 and 50-95 in conference play.^[8]

On March 20, 2026, Daytona State head coach Joey Cantens left his position with the Falcons and was named the tenth head coach in FIU history.^[9]

FIU men's basketball team had its lone NCAA Tournament appearance in the 1995 tournament under then Head Coach Bob Weltlich, who had already announced his resignation following the season. FIU won the TAAC Basketball Tournament and in doing so earned an automatic bid for the NCAA tournament, and in doing so became the worst team to receive a bid in its history. FIU was seeded #16 and played the #1 seeded UCLA Bruins in the first round of the West Regional, which was played at the Taco Bell Arena in Boise. The Panthers lost the game to the Bruins by the score of 92–56, being the first tournament win in UCLA's successful run to the National Championship that year. Weltlich notably said during the post-game interview, "If anyone knows of any openings out there, my number is...".

The "Sunblazers" men's basketball team was also featured in a second-season episode of Miami Vice entitled "The Fix".

FIU Panthers alumni to have gone on to the NBA and international professional basketball.

• Denver Jones (born 2000), who finished his career at Auburn, spent two years at FIU, being named All-Conference USA First Team in his second. He plays for Bnei Herzliya in the Israeli Basketball Premier League.

• Osasumwen Osaghae (born 1998), who spent 2016-20 at FIU and led the NCAA in blocks in 2019-20, is currently a free agent.