This decision was somewhat controversial for both Memphis' black and white communities, given the recent assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. and the resultant heightened strain on race relations in Memphis, not to mention so few local African-American prep stars had been able to wear a Tiger uniform to that point.

Finch was drafted on the fourth round by the Los Angeles Lakers in 1973, but opted to join the local American Basketball Association team, the Memphis Tams.

Even while head coach, he maintained connections to his roots; he often visited Orange Mound barbershops, often delivering Memphis State posters and other team paraphernalia.

[3] In accepting the buy-out of his contract, Finch declined a position of "special assistant" he had been offered by Johnson to stay on with the University.

In 1998, Finch ran for the office of Shelby County Registrar and lost to the incumbent by only 127 votes despite having no government experience.

In December 2006, the foundation released a Larry Finch tribute CD called "Eye of the Tiger", featuring performers from Memphis' diverse musical community such as Al Green, The Bar-Kays, Gary Johns, John Kilzer, and Al Kapone.

[11] The idea for a memorial for Finch had originally been proposed in 2008 by Memphis Magazine managing editor Frank Murtaugh.

Though it did not garner support then, the president of the University of Memphis, M. David Rudd, did meet with Murtaugh in 2018 after two columns published in the Magazine.

[12][13][14] The statue took three years to build, and has been erected in front of the Laurie-Walton Basketball Center on the south campus of the University.