SYRACUSE, N.Y. — For 47 seasons, the Syracuse Orange basketball program has been led by coach Jim Boeheim, a legend in college basketball’s history dating back to the early days of the Big East Conference.
But at age 78, with a pedestrian team heading toward an NIT appearance, and multiple recent incidents of bullying reporters in postgame press conferences, it is looking more and more like the end of Boeheim’s tenure is near.
Locked on Syracuse podcast co-host Owen Valentine is conflicted, knowing how much Boeheim means to the program and the city of Syracuse, but admits it’s probably time to make a change.
“We’re at this point now where it seems like the adjustments aren’t where they want to be,” Valentine said on the Locked on College Basketball podcast. “I want the adjustments to happen, and I think everyone wants it to work out with Boeheim….but the more I watch him he seems frustrated right now, he’s easily set off by reporters asking questions, it might be approaching that time.”
Boeheim is currently the longest tenured coach in Division 1 men’s basketball, as well as the active wins leader. But winning hasn’t been as easy to come by recently, as Boeheim’s team has failed to make the NCAA Tournament in four of the last seven seasons – and has yet to win a regular season title as a member of the ACC.
Boeheim’s program has not been super active via the NCAA transfer portal, and sticking with his patented zone defense is no longer providing an edge in an era where three-point shooting is plentiful.
It’s never easy to say goodbye to a legend, but there is something to be said about going out on your own terms, a la Jay Wright, Roy Williams, and Mike Krzyzewski, rather than sticking it out too long and going out by bullying student reporters who may not have been alive when ‘Cuse hoisted their only NCAA Championship trophy 20 years ago.