When the ACC Tournament began with a showdown between the Syracuse Orange and the Wake Forest Demon Deacons on Wednesday afternoon, there weren’t many who truly expected it to be the final game Jim Boeheim ever coached for Syracuse. But that’s exactly what happened.
Following Syracuse’s loss to Wake Forest on Wednesday afternoon, the school announced that Jim Boeheim’s time as the school’s head coach would be coming to a close after 47 years of leading the team and that Adrian Autry will be the team’s next head coach.
“I have spent my entire career surrounded by the biggest and best names in professional and intercollegiate athletics. Few people are on the same playing field as Coach Boeheim,” athletic director John Wildhack said in a statement. “Jim Boeheim is synonymous with excellence, grit and determination. Jim is a rare breed of coach, building a program that is among the best in college basketball for nearly five decades. I am incredibly grateful for what he has done for Syracuse Basketball, Syracuse Athletics and Syracuse University as a whole.”
Boeheim led the team to the national championship in 2003 and 35 trips to the NCAA Tournament, including Final Four appearances in 1987, 1996, 2003, 2013 and 2016.
His departure is a huge move and the college basketball world had plenty to say about it on Twitter.
https://twitter.com/NBA_NewYork/status/1633591257388707844?s=20
Jim Boeheim is no longer Syracuse's basketball coach.
Adrian Autry is.
The Boeheim Era, after 47 years, is over at Syracuse.
Adrian, who is a terrific guy and a coach Syracuse players respect, gets his shot.
— Donna Ditota (@DonnaDitota1) March 8, 2023
Sicko legend calls it a career https://t.co/JHwR55TgFk pic.twitter.com/pf27MaIbVU
— The Sickos CBB Committee (@SickosCBB) March 8, 2023
This is one of the biggest sports stories of the year. Glad I got to cover a couple of years of the Jim Boeheim era. Congrats to Adrian Autry, who takes over as Syracuse's new head coach. https://t.co/oOlJeFfnkV
— Mike Curtis (@MikeACurtis2) March 8, 2023
Boeheim's career ends without warning after a garbage season with no tournament appearance, there is justice https://t.co/ezACNASYOc
— Max J. Rosenthal (@maxjrosenthal) March 8, 2023
I have been hard on Jim Boeheim in recent years – but he created the program from the ground up. I have so many great memories growing up as a Cuse fan.
Thank you Boeheim for all the fun times – Syracuse will never have another like Boeheim! https://t.co/wBF2C9Lj9W
— Michael F. Florio (@MichaelFFlorio) March 8, 2023
It’s certainly been a storied career for Boeheim, and now it’s come to a rather unceremonious close.
[Syracuse]
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