Jim Boeheim Is The Root Of The Recent Recruiting Troubles

Could it be possible that future Hall of Fame coach, Jim Boeheim,, is the problem with recruiting? We explain why his impending retirement is actually hurting SU in the present and future.

There’s no doubt that when Jim Boeheim officially hangs it up, he’ll go down as one of the iconic coaches the collegiate game has ever seen. His patented 2-3 zone, his stubbornness, his attitude toward the media, it’s all one-of-a-kind.

But the issue we’ll be discussing today is when not if. James Arthur Boeheim is 72 years old, he turns 73 this November. Boeheim and the University agreed on this deadline or expiration date that he’d walk off into the sunset. That date is rapidly approaching and there’s a growing belief that Boeheim won’t be willing to leave under those circumstances any longer.

The expiration date was agreed upon by a previous regime, well technically a previous-previous regime, but I digress. Perhaps this horrendous 2016-17 season is changing his mind, but it appears that this uneasiness and uncertainty is spreading to the recruits.

Why has 2016 been so miserable? No no, not on the court, off the court. Jim Boeheim and company have swung and missed on so many recruits. We’ve documented every highlight and lowlight right here on Inside the Loud House.

The reason is obvious, its been in front of our face the entire time. Boeheim is saying come join the Orange everything is going to be jolly and good. When he can’t even gurantee his staying presence beyond 2017. You can’t blame the recruits for not wanting to commit with all the uncertainty.

I asked our SU basketball guru, Neil Adler, his thoughts on the subject. Is Boeheim truly the root of SU’s recent recruiting struggles? Here’s what he had to say:

"Head coach Jim Boeheim’s impending retirement after the 2017-18 season, undoubtedly, is affecting the recruitment of top-flight targets. There’s no way to deny this.It’s true that head-coach-in-waiting Mike Hopkins has served as a primary recruiter for years, along with Adrian Autry and Gerry McNamara. However, highly ranked recruits who would commit to the Orange knew that Boeheim, ultimately, would represent their head coach.Say what you will about JB, but he has been doing this for 41 years. He has close to 1,000 wins, regardless of what the NCAA postures. The Hall of Famer has reached five Final Fours, three title games and claimed a national championship in 2003. Not many head coaches have that type of resume. The Syracuse brand, and Boeheim, are synonymous.Next: Syracuse Basketball Stinks It Up In ACC Opener Vs Boston CollegeNow, starting with the 2018 class, recruits who decide to head to Central New York will not play for Boeheim. And it remains uncertain how Hopkins will fare when he’s in charge. He went 4-5 during Boeheim’s nine-game suspension a year ago. Furthermore, while Syracuse and other powerhouse schools swing and miss on the best prospects all the time, Boeheim and his staff got shunned by a bevy of top-50 2017 targets just in the last few months.They courted point guard Quade Green for two years, and the ‘Cuse was the presumed leader for his services until Kentucky snatched him away toward the end of his recruitment. Other studs that decided to go elsewhere include Shai Alexander, Hamidou Diallo, Billy Preston, Nick Richards, Jordan Tucker and Lonnie Walker, to name a few. What’s concerning is that these guys would have gotten a year with Boeheim at the helm. Yet they still passed on the Orange. Does this foreshadow that highly ranked recruits in 2018 and beyond, who will not get to suit up for Boeheim at all, are likely to shun Syracuse? We hope not. Only time will tell."

Lets address several points here. A lot of SU fans are unfairly criticizing coach Mike Hopkins on

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that nine game sample size from last season. They shouldn’t and that shouldn’t be his resume as a coach. He was thrown into the fire and learned on the fly.

He’s still according to all junctures, supposed to be the guy for the Orange going forward. But you can’t deny the recent struggles that have occurred and could that be a sign of things to come? It certainly feels like it, Boeheim said that they gain and lose recruits all the time.

But it’s hard to deny the quality and quantity of recruits that have said thanks, but no thanks. Maybe Boeheim should clarify his stance openly that he’s either going to retire or he plans on sticking around. If there was some clarity on the situation perhaps that would help on the recruiting trail.

Boeheim not addressing this is not only hurting the team in the present, but more importantly the future. If Boeheim/Hopkins joint recruiting efforts are turning off top-50 recruits that either speaks poorly of Boeheim and the uncertainty of when he’s retiring. Plus for Hopkins relative inexperience running the show has to be altering some of these young players minds.

What do you think #OrangeNation? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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