Jim Boeheim retirement: ACC commissioner Jim Phillips issues statement on retirement announcement

Jim Boeheim is hanging it up after a Wednesday loss for Syracuse in ACC Tournament action. However, the eventual retirement announcement from the program was not without some awkward moments.

Shortly after the loss, Boeheim said the decision on whether he would retire

was “up to the university.” He also claimed to give a retirement speech last week but said no one picked up on it.

In the end, Boeheim is indeed retiring, bringing a legendary coaching career to its conclusion after 47 years with the Orange. ACC commissioner Jim Phillips addressed that departure in a statement:

There is no person more synonymous with Syracuse men’s basketball than legendary head coach Jim Boeheim. Since taking over the program in 1976, Boeheim has guided the Orange to unparalleled success with 35 trips to the NCAA Tournament, 5 Final Fours and the 2003 national championship. In addition to his on-court success, Jim has mentored countless student-athletes, assistant coaches and administrators. We thank and abpplaud Jim for all he has done for the ACC and college basketball, and we wish him, Juli and their entire family all the best as he enters his next chapter.

Paul’s take on Boeheim

There’s no denying the legendary nature of Boeheim’s coaching career with over 1

,000 career wins and a .717 winning percentage and 35 NCAA Tournament appearances. However, it is unfortunate the last few years of Boeheim’s career unfolded the way that they did.

With Syracuse struggling over the last two seasons, Boeheim produced multiple press conferences where he was curt, abrasive and unnecessarily passive-aggressive. While he will be remembered as a coaching legend, his departure has been far from a smooth or storybook moment for Boeheim himself or the Syracuse program.