Coach K Comments On Jim Boeheim’s ‘Awkward’ Syracuse Retirement

The Syracuse coach retired after 47 years on Wednesday with very little fanfare.

Following his team’s second round loss to Wake Forest in the ACC Tournament on Wednesday, Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim gave an awkward press conference where he wouldn’t formally announce his retirement, while also pointing to a week-old press conference that he joked contained his “retirement speech.”

The whole encounter between Boeheim and reporters on Wednesday was awkward. What was even more awkward was the announcement a couple hours later that Boeheim was out as Syracuse’s head coach after 47 years, and that assistant Adrian Autry would be taking over the position effective immediately.

Former Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski couldn’t help but notice how awkward the timing of the announcement was for a coach that had been at Syracuse for so long.

“In Jim’s case, he was never completely sure,” Coach K told ESPN’s Pete Thamel. “When you do something as long as he has in the place that he’s done it – he was never completely sure. The other day was awkward. Syracuse the university and Syracuse athletics and Syracuse basketball, they should all be one in making this announcement. The fact that there’s any ambiguity is wrong. It’s not right. I would hope that if that is the case—I’m not saying it is, but I would hope things get right quickly and be celebrated the way it should be. It should not be awkward. No way.”

Boeheim won 1,116 games at Syracuse, before having 101 victories vacated due to a series of NCAA sanctions. He sits behind only Coach K on the all-time wins list, and also has a national championship victory and five Final Four appearances to his name.