After 47 years coaching Syracuse men’s basketball, Jim Boeheim is out and will be replaced by Adrian Autry, who served as an assistant since 2011. He will succeed the longest-tenured coach in college basketball.
There is no word whether Boeheim has willingly stepped down or retired. The university just noted that Boeheim’s storied career “comes to an end.” The ambiguity of the situations makes one wonder; however, Boeheim’s exit came hours after he hinted at retirement after Syracuse’s loss at the buzzer in the AC tournament against Wake Forest.
Ironically, the news comes shortly after Syracuse’s 2003 team was honored on the 20th anniversary of their NCAA title. Boeheim’s stellar career includes 35 NCAA Tournament appearances, five Final Fours, and one title. He ranked second in Division I men’s coaching wins with 1116, behind only Mike Krzyzewski.
Syracuse is seventh on the all-time wins list in college basketball, with the majority belonging to Boeheim, who has been a defensive mastermind. In addition, Boeheim was an assistant coach for USA Olympic Basketball, winning three gold medals along the way.
Boeheim came to Syracuse in the fall of 1962 as a walk-on by coach Fred Lewis. He joined a recruiting class that included future NBA player and Hall of Famer Dave Bing. Boeheim played for the team from 1963 through 1966, advancing to the East Region finals of the NCAA Tournament as a senior. In 1969, Boeheim became a graduate assistant under coach Roy Danforth, a full-time assistant in 1972, and took over the program in 1976.
Boeheim was the coach for perhaps the most thrilling game in Syracuse history, a six-overtime win over Connecticut in the 2009 Big East Tournament.
The final game of Boeheim’s illustrious career at Syracuse fittingly was played on the court that bears his name.
