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ACC moves men's basketball tournament from Washington, D.C. to North Carolina

ACC moves men's basketball tournament from Washington, D.C. to North Carolina
Posted at 12:09 PM, Nov 24, 2020
and last updated 2020-11-24 12:09:07-05

Leonard Hamilton won't get the chance to cut down the nets next year in the city where he once coached.

The Atlantic Coast Conference announced Tuesday that its 2021 men's basketball tournament is moving from Washington, D.C. to Greensboro, North Carolina.

Originally scheduled to be played at Capital One Arena from March 9-13, the tournament is being moved "due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic," the ACC said.

Instead, Washington will host the 2024 tournament.

"We look forward to returning to Washington, D.C., and appreciate Greensboro for welcoming and accommodating us during these unique and challenging times," outgoing ACC Commissioner John Swofford said in a statement.

Hamilton, who enters his 19th season at Florida State, was head coach of the NBA's Washington Nationals prior to taking over in Tallahassee.

Leonard Hamilton all smiles after Florida State Seminoles win 2020 ACC regular-season championship
Florida State's head coach Leonard Hamilton celebrates with his players after their school's first-ever ACC regular-season championship after a game against Boston College, Saturday, March 7 2020, in Tallahassee, Fla. Florida State won 80-62.

The Seminoles are defending ACC champions, having won the regular-season title for the first time in school history last season. They were officially crowned ACC champions in Greensboro this year after the tournament was canceled amid coronavirus concerns.

The 2021 tournament will mark the 28th time that Greensboro has hosted the event. The Greensboro Coliseum has hosted it more than any other venue.

Brooklyn, New York, and Greensboro will host the 2022 and 2023 tournaments.

This story was originally published by Peter Burke at WPTV.