NCAA – While Syracuse was eliminated in the second round of the ACC conference tournament on Wednesday, the legendary Orange coach announced his retirement under strange conditions.
In 47 seasons (!) spent at the head of the program of Syracusebetween 1976 and 2023, Jim Boeheim has won 1,116 games (for 440 defeats, or 71.7% over the entire mandate), which places him in second place in the ranking of the most victorious coaches of all time, behind “Coach K”.
Despite rather disappointing results and an obvious stagnation of the program on the sporting level in recent years, the 78-year-old technician will therefore remain one of the most effective winning machines in the history of the university championship.
Entered in posterity, for better or for worse, or for his infallible love of zone defense, still to this day, he will have taken the Orange to the NCAA tournament 35 times, for five “Final Four” (1987, 1996, 2003, 2013 and 2016) and obviously a national title in 2003, with Carmelo Anthony leading his attack.
Pushed out?
We wonder since in a press release published by the university a few minutes after the defeat (at the buzzer) of Syracuse against Wake Forest in the second round of the ACC conference tournament this Wednesday, synonymous with the end of the season, his successor was immediately announced: Adrian Autry, his first assistant since 2016.
But the press release does not mention at any time a “retirement” of Jim Boeheim, but rather a ” takeover of the program by Adrian Autry, as the illustrious career of Jim Boeheim draws to a close.
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A funny wording, which inevitably raises questions…
« This university hired me years ago, so the choice is theirs. It’s their decision, as it always has been, whether I continue to coach or not. “he launched in a press conference after what will therefore remain as his last career defeat. ” I’ve been incredibly lucky to keep this job for all these years. he would add next, in a tone that clearly sounded like a farewell. ” I lasted 47 seasons. I coached my sons. I loved my teams. »
A few minutes later, the university announced the news of his retirement. But whether or not he was pushed out doesn’t matter in the end: Jim Boeheim, legend of university coaching, has officially retired, like three other legends over the past two years. Certainly the end of an era in the NCAA.
