Jim Boeheim’s legendary 47-year tenure as Syracuse coach has come to an end.

Jim Boheim joined Syracuse in 1962. Played there until 1966. He began coaching there in 1969. In 1976, he took over the program as head coach.

Simply put, he was a Syracuse basketball player.

Until now.

Hall of Famer’s 47-year tenure as a coach with Syracuse came to an end Wednesday when the university announced that Orange deputy head coach and former Syracuse player Adrian Autry had been named to the position. The Oranges moved quickly, making the announcement less than three hours after Syracuse lost to Wake Forest in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament. And if Boheim knew the announcement was coming, he didn’t show it at his last post-match press conference.

“It depends on the university,” Boheim said. “They have to make their decision and it’s up to them.”

The university did not wait long before making the decision public, saying in part: “Today, as his 47th season as a coach at his alma mater draws to a close, so does his legendary career at Syracuse University. Deputy head coach Adrian Autry, 1994 , one of Boheim’s former players and longtime assistant, has been named the program’s next head coach.”

Autry has been with Boheim since 2011 and has been an assistant coach since March 2017.

“There have been very few more influential forces in my life than Syracuse University and Jim Boeheim,” Autry said. “They both played such important roles and without each of them I’m sure I wouldn’t have this incredible opportunity in front of me.”

The 78-year-old Boheim’s 47-season record was officially 1015-441. This reflects 101 victories taken by the NCAA for infractions in the 2004-07 and 2010-12 seasons.

Whether the score was 1015 or 1116, only current retired Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski has more wins than Boheim at the Division I level. Boheim led the Oranges to the 2003 national title — Carmelo Anthony’s only season at Syracuse — and saw how 46 of his players were drafted in the NBA. Among them: Anthony, Derrick Coleman, Rony Seikaly, Dion Waiters, Billy Owens, Sherman Douglas and Pearl Washington. Boheim was also an assistant for the US basketball team under Krzyzewski on the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Olympic gold medal teams.

“I’m very lucky to be able to coach my college team, play and then be an assistant coach and then head coach, and I never had to leave Syracuse,” Boheim said at a post-game press conference in which he hinted at retirement. , then hinted at a return. “This is a great university.”

In many ways, he was the face of this university. Boheim and his wife Julie raised millions through their family foundation for children in Central New York. He helped champion what became known as the Coaches Against Cancer phenomenon at the American Cancer Society.

The 2-3 zone defense, which he used almost exclusively, caused attacks in opponents for decades. His loyalty was unwavering; The best examples were how he returned to work earlier than the doctors wanted after he was treated for prostate cancer in December 2001 – the team struggled and needed him, Boheim said at the time – and how he went to work at 00 :01 am. the day his nine-game suspension for NCAA violations was lifted in the 2015–16 season.

“He gave his heart and soul to this school,” said Washington Coach Mike Hopkins, a former assistant to Boheim. “I’m still surprised they didn’t put a statue of him in the middle of the campus. When you think of Syracuse University, you think of Jim Boeheim, you think of the Carrier Dome, and now they’re both gone, which is very sad.”

The dome is still standing, only under a different name. The program will continue, only with a different coach. For the first time since 1976, someone other than Beheim became the head coach of the Oranges.

“Jim has invested and dedicated much of his life to building this program, nurturing generations of student-athletes, and proudly presents his alma mater with distinction,” Chancellor Kent Siverud said in a statement released by the school.

Boheim has been synonymous with Syracuse for over six decades. He was born in the central New York town of Lyon, not far from Syracuse. He entered the school in 1962 as a servant and eventually became captain of the then Orangemen along with Dave Bing.

In 1969, he was hired by Syracuse as a graduate assistant. And on April 3, 1976, he took over the program after Roy Danforth left for Tulane. Since then, Boheim has led the program; even the dome court where Syracuse plays their home games has been named after him since 2002.

“There will never be another Jim Boheim,” Buddy Boheim, one of Boheim’s sons who played for him at Syracuse, tweeted on Wednesday. “The greatest coach, father and mentor I could ever dream of. The man who gave the city, the program and the university everything he had in his entire life, with countless achievements. Excited to have a lot of golf in our future, love you dads. “

The Oranges were 17-15 this season and will miss the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season. This sparked criticism that raised questions about Boheim’s future and what the school would ultimately decide.

“I’m honored to play for Coach Boheim,” Syracuse’s Benny Williams said after losing to Wake Forest.

The low point came in November 2011. Bernie Fine, then Syracuse’s deputy head coach, was fired after he was accused of sexual assault by two former Syracuse ballboys. Boheim first called the ballboys liars to get money, then apologized for his insensitivity to victims of abuse and took responsibility. The fine has never been charged.

Syracuse has made 35 appearances in the NCAA Tournament under Boheim, five of which have reached the Final Four, won 10 Big East regular season titles, and five more titles in this conference tournament.

“I feel so lucky to be able to coach in Syracuse, a place that I love, where I love to live,” Boheim said. “People keep asking this question, but maybe that’s my flaw. But I have lived in Syracuse all my life and hopefully will live there for a long time in the future. I think it’s a great place.”

Reaction was mixed when news of the coaching change reached the Syracuse campus.

Chris Davis, a freshman, wondered if a change in coach would hurt the Oranges.

“To be honest, it’s disappointing,” Davis said. “The students who are here are in pain. Seeing him gone is heartbreaking.”

The elder Gracie Carrigan was surprised by the move, saying, “It’s shocking. He had such a wonderful career. You almost thought he’d be here forever, so it’s shocking that this is actually happening.”

Added freshman Benjamin Pearl said: “Obviously massive boots need to be filled in. I have faith in Coach Autry and the coaching staff.”

Syracuse clearly believes in Autry.

He played 121 games in four seasons with Beheim and then spent more than a decade on the bench with his former coach.

“I spent most of my time in basketball learning from Jim and I am so grateful to him for preparing me to continue the Orange Basketball winning tradition,” Autry said.

___

Associated Press freelance writer Mark Frank of Syracuse contributed to this report.

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