Syracuse Basketball: Demetris Nichols will make a tremendous coach

Former Syracuse basketball star Demetris Nichols recently got named as a special advisor to the boys’ team at Cicero-North Syracuse High School.

Demetris Nichols, the former Syracuse basketball and professional player who has also worked as a college basketball analyst, owns a new gig in Central New York.

The 6-foot-8 forward is now a special advisor to the boys’ basketball squad at Cicero-North Syracuse High School in Cicero, N.Y., which is about 15 miles from the Hill. That’s according to a report by Mike Curtis of Syracuse.com.

On the Cicero-North Syracuse High School athletics department Web site, Nichols is listed as an assistant varsity coach. Curtis wrote in his piece that Nichols’ position is a volunteer one.

“I want to give back and share my experiences,” Nichols told Curtis. “I love the game. I love talking about the game. I love teaching the game. I think that’s important.”

I’ve always been a big fan of Nichols dating back to his days competing for the Orange, when as a senior during the 2006-07 campaign he paced the Big East in scoring, at 18.9 points per contest, while connecting on nearly 42 percent from beyond the arc.

Undeniably, Nichols will shine in his new role with the Northstars, and perhaps it could help propel him to a future coaching position at the collegiate level or elsewhere, if that’s his goal.

Nichols and his colleagues with Boeheim’s Army, a collection of primarily former Syracuse basketball players, recently wrapped up their competing in The Basketball Tournament (“TBT”). Unfortunately, Boeheim’s Army fell in the quarterfinals to Sideline Cancer.

According to Curtis’ story, Nichols has served as an analyst, calling college basketball games for the ACC Network and MSG Networks. Curtis writes that Nichols “hopes to transition into broadcasting full time when the right opportunity presents itself.”

Like I said earlier, though, Nichols could absolutely move into a full-time coaching career, should he choose to do so. He has a terrific knowledge of the sport, and Nichols is a leader, driven and humble.

His tenure with Syracuse basketball spanned 2003 to 2007, and he ended up as a second-round pick in the NBA Draft. He has played in the NBA as well as overseas, where he “won multiple championships,” per Curtis.

"Nichols eloquently added in the article, “I feel like I’m relatable. I was a kid who wasn’t good at sports in the beginning, who didn’t have confidence and that’s what basketball has taught me. It teaches you about working together with people. It teaches you teamwork. It teaches you to believe in yourself. Those are life skills.”"