Former Syracuse basketball recruit Isaiah Stewart revealed why he didn’t join the Orange: because of Jim Boeheim. Here are all the details.
The Syracuse basketball fans that have been calling for Jim Boeheim’s head due to his apparent lack of recruiting success now have something to complain about.
Jeff Goodman of Stadium recently spoke with Rochester-native and star player for the Washington Huskies Isaiah Stewart. At one time the former five-star recruit had Syracuse among his final schools before ultimately choosing Mike Hopkins and Washington.
Although the reason he decided to pass on the Orange is due to a bad first-impression with Jim Boeheim:
"“I was in eighth grade at a basketball tournament and Buddy Boeheim was there with his dad. My friends were going crazy because they wanted a picture with Jim. I didn’t know much about him except that he was some big-time coach.So I said fine I’ll ask him, I tapped him on the shoulder and said hey is it possible me and my friends can get a picture? He told me not right now I’m watching my son play.People saw it and started laughing and pointing at me saying ha you got turned down by Boeheim. I remembered that and it hurt me for sure. I told my friends that I’ll make him regret that one day.”"
Jeff Goodman followed up by asking, “did that matter in the end?”
"Isaiah Stewart replied that it did and “when you’re choosing a school, of course, you’d remember something like that.”"
https://twitter.com/Stadium/status/1217869124572831744
"After this story started going viral, Jim Boeheim responded through Jeff Goodman by saying, “it was a group of people who came over during a game and I told them I’d be happy to take a photo after the game. I never turn down pictures for anybody.”"
Currently, Syracuse is struggling at center and has been for the better part of the 21st century. This season Bourama Sidibe has been foul-prone and ineffective. Leaving the Orange vulnerable on the inside both offensively and defensively.
While for Washington Isaiah Stewart has lived up to the hype for the Huskies. He’s averaging over 18.2 points per game paired with 8.6 boards per game and is projected to be a first-round pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.
Oh, what could’ve been if Jim Boeheim just would’ve taken a damn picture. The world may never know.