GREENSBORO, N.C. — Only Jim Boeheim could give multiple “retirement speeches” — his own words! — without actually confirming he’s retiring.
“It’s up to the university,” the Syracuse coach said, over and over again, but his comments after another short stay in Greensboro left very little doubt.
Hours later Wednesday, there was none: The university announced that Boeheim would retire after 47 years and be succeeded by assistant coach and former player Adrian Autry.
It was the official end to a confusing day. After a 77-74 loss to Wake Forest in the day’s opening ACC tournament game, Boeheim was asked about his future, which provoked an unusually long and sentimental answer by anyone’s standards, but certainly by those of the typically curt Boeheim.
He talked about being committed to coaching this recruiting class, which brought him back for this season after having a chance to coach his sons in 2022, but said he “gave my retirement speech last Saturday on the court” and no one really noticed.
“I’ve been very lucky to be able to coach my college team,” Boeheim said. “To play and then be an assistant coach and then a head coach and never having to leave Syracuse. “It’s a great university. The city has embraced our team. I am amazed that we’ve been able to draw the fans we’ve been able to draw over the years. … I’ve been just so lucky to be able to coach at Syracuse, a place I love, a place I love to live. People keep wondering about that. Maybe it’s a flaw I have.
“I’ve lived in Syracuse my whole life and I’ll live here hopefully a long time into the future. I think it’s a great place. Sometimes the negativity of people comes to the forefront. That’s life. That’s there. I’ve been unbelievably fortunate to keep this job. Mike Brey’s thrilled he was at Notre Dame 23 years? He’s a puppy. I’ve had 47 years. I got to coach my sons.”
But asked directly if he was retiring, yes or no, Boeheim would only say it was up to the university, and asked if that meant he wanted to come back, he replied, “I didn’t say that.”
The Orange is only two years removed from a Sweet 16 appearance — Syracuse’s seventh in 16 seasons — but missed the NCAA Tournament in consecutive seasons after that for the first time since 2008.
“He’s an icon,” said Wake Forest coach Steve Forbes, who earlier this season caught a stray from Boeheim when the Syracuse coach criticized ACC teams like Wake Forest and Pittsburgh of “buying” players, comments he later retracted. “I like him,” Forbes added.
