Career

Playing

Boeheim was born in Lyons, New York. He graduated from Lyons Central High School. Boeheim enrolled in Syracuse University as a student in 1962 and graduated with a bachelor's degree in social science. During his freshman year, Boeheim was a walk-on with the freshman basketball team. By his senior year he was the team captain and a teammate of All-American Dave Bing, his freshman roommate. The pair led coach Fred Lewis's Orange to a 22-6 overall win-loss record that earned the team's second-ever NCAA tournament berth. After graduating from Syracuse, Boeheim played professional basketball with the Scranton Miners of the American Basketball League, during which he won two championships and was a second-team all-star (SU Athletics). While at Syracuse, he joined the Delta Upsilon fraternity.

Coaching

In 1969, Boeheim decided to coach basketball and was hired as a graduate assistant at Syracuse under Roy Danforth. Soon thereafter he was promoted to a full-time assistant coach and was a member of the coaching staff that helped guide the Orange to its first Final Four appearance in the 1975 NCAA Tournament.

In 1976, Danforth left to become head basketball coach and athletic director at Tulane University. A coaching search then led to naught, and Boeheim was promoted to be the head coach of his alma mater. Apart from his brief stint in the pros, Boeheim has spent his entire adult life at Syracuse as a student, player, assistant coach or head coach, a rarity in modern-day major collegiate athletics. In 1986 Boeheim was offered the head coaching job at Ohio State, but turned it down to stay at Syracuse.

In 39 years as head coach at Syracuse, Boeheim has guided the Orange to postseason berths, either in the NCAA or NIT tournaments, in every year in which the Orange have been eligible. The only times the Orange missed the postseason was in 1993, when NCAA sanctions barred them from postseason play despite a 20-9 record and in 2015 when Boeheim failed to meet compliance with NCAA rules within his program for a decade. During his tenure, the Orange have never had a losing season, have appeared in three NCAA national championship games (1987, 1996, and 2003) and have won the national title in 2003.

Boeheim has been named Big East coach of the year four times, and has been named as District II Coach of the Year by the National Association of Basketball Coaches ten times. In 2004, Boeheim received two additional awards. The first was during the spring when he was awarded the Clair Bee Award in recognition of his contributions to the sport of basketball. During the fall of the same year Boeheim was presented with Syracuse University's Arents Award, the University's highest alumni honor.

Boeheim's coaching style at Syracuse is unusual in that, whereas many highly-successful coaches prefer the man-to-man defense, he demonstrates an overwhelming preference for the 2-3 zone defense.

In an exhibition game on November 7, 2005 against Division II school Saint Rose from Albany, New York, Boeheim was ejected for the first time in his career after arguing a call late in the first half in the Orange's 86-73 victory. He was also ejected from Cameron Indoor Stadium on February 22, 2014 against Duke after arguing a player control foul call on C.J Fair by referee Tony Greene.

Boeheim has also been a coach for the USA national team. In 2001, during his seventh year as a USA basketball coach, Boeheim helped lead the Young Men's Team to a gold medal at the World Championship in Japan. During the fall of that year he was named USA Basketball 2001 National Coach of the Year. He was an assistant coach under Mike Krzyzewski for the US national team in the 1990 FIBA World Championship and 2006 FIBA World Championship, winning the bronze medal both times. He returned as an assistant coach under Mike Krzyzewski for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, and again at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, England, where the United States won the gold medal both times.

In the 2012-13 season Boeheim led Syracuse to their first Final Four appearance since their 2003 NCAA National Championship. The Orange lost to the University of Michigan 61-56.

In the 2013-2014, led the Orange to the NCAA Tournament and lost in the third-round game versus the Dayton Flyers.

The Syracuse basketball program has been investigated for major NCAA violations on two separate occasions during Boeheim's tenure.

NCAA violations and punishment

Main article: Syracuse University athletics scandal

On March 6, 2015, the NCAA suspended Syracuse basketball coach Jim Boeheim for the first nine games of the 2015-16 season and took away 12 scholarships over a four-year period, as a result of a multi-year investigation into the university's athletic programs. The program was forced to vacate a total of 108 wins from the 2004-2005, 2005-2006, 2006-2007, 2010-2011, and 2011-2012 seasons. Any game during those years where one or more of the players deemed to have been ineligible played. This constitutes the second-most wins ever permanently vacated by one program, behind the 113 wins vacated by Michigan.

Upon two separate appeals, Boeheim's nine-game suspension was upheld as was the permanent vacating and erasure of 108 wins. However, the number of scholarships lost by Syracuse was reduced to 8 over a four-year period, down from 12 over the same period.

Retirement

Boeheim will retire in March 2018.

Records and accomplishments

Head coaching record

Season	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Postseason
Syracuse Orangemen (NCAA Division I independent)
1976-77	Syracuse	26-4			NCAA Sweet Sixteen
1977-78	Syracuse	22-6			NCAA First Round
1978-79	Syracuse	26-4			NCAA Sweet Sixteen
Syracuse Orangemen/Orange (Big East Conference)
1979-80	Syracuse	26-4	5-1	T-1st	NCAA Sweet Sixteen
1980-81	Syracuse	22-12	6-8	6th	NIT Runner-up
1981-82	Syracuse	16-13	7-7	T-5th	NIT Second Round
1982-83	Syracuse	21-10	9-7	5th	NCAA Second Round
1983-84	Syracuse	23-9	12-4	T-2nd	NCAA Sweet Sixteen
1984-85	Syracuse	22-9	9-7	T-3rd	NCAA Second Round
1985-86	Syracuse	26-6	14-2	T-1st	NCAA Second Round
1986-87	Syracuse	31-7	12-4	T-1st	NCAA Runner-up
1987-88	Syracuse	26-9	11-5	2nd	NCAA Second Round
1988-89	Syracuse	30-8	10-6	3rd	NCAA Elite Eight
1989-90	Syracuse	26-7	12-4	T-1st	NCAA Sweet Sixteen
1990-91	Syracuse	26-6	12-4	1st	NCAA First Round
1991-92	Syracuse	22-10	10-8	T-5th	NCAA Second Round
1992-93	Syracuse	20-9	10-8	3rd	Ineligible
1993-94	Syracuse	23-7	13-5	2nd	NCAA Sweet Sixteen
1994-95	Syracuse	20-10	12-6	3rd	NCAA Second Round
1995-96	Syracuse	29-9	12-6	2nd	NCAA Runner-up
1996-97	Syracuse	19-13	9-9	T-4th	NIT First Round
1997-98	Syracuse	26-9	12-6	1st	NCAA Sweet Sixteen
1998-99	Syracuse	21-12	10-8	T-4th	NCAA First Round
1999-00	Syracuse	26-6	13-3	T-1st	NCAA Sweet Sixteen
2000-01	Syracuse	25-9	10-6	T-2nd	NCAA Second Round
2001-02	Syracuse	23-13	9-7	T-3rd	NIT Semifinals
2002-03	Syracuse	30-5	13-3	T-1st	NCAA Champions
2003-04	Syracuse	23-8	11-5	T-3rd	NCAA Sweet Sixteen
2004-05	Syracuse	27-7	11-5	3rd	NCAA First Round
2005-06	Syracuse	23-12	7-9	9th	NCAA First Round
2006-07	Syracuse	24-11	10-6	5th	NIT Quarterfinals
2007-08	Syracuse	21-14	9-9	T-8th	NIT Quarterfinals
2008-09	Syracuse	28-10	11-7	6th	NCAA Sweet Sixteen
2009-10	Syracuse	30-5	15-3	1st	NCAA Sweet Sixteen
2010-11	Syracuse	27-8	12-6	3rd	NCAA Round of 32
2011-12	Syracuse	34-3	17-1	1st	NCAA Elite Eight
2012-13	Syracuse	30-10	11-7	5th	NCAA Final Four
Syracuse Orange (Atlantic Coast Conference)
2013-14	Syracuse	28-6	14-4	2nd	NCAA Round of 32
2014-15	Syracuse	18-13	9-9	8th	Ineligible
2015-16	Syracuse	23-14	9-9	T-9th	NCAA Final Four
Syracuse:		989-347 (.740)	341-212 (.617)
Total:		989-347 (.741)

^A. Due to NCAA sanctions, Syracuse had 101 wins from the 2004-05 through 2011-12 seasons vacated. The original records before vacated wins:

• 2004-05: 27-7 (11-5 Big East, T-3rd)
• 2005-06: 23-12 (7-9 Big East, T-9th)
• 2006-07: 24-11 (10-6 Big East, T-5th)
• 2010-11: 27-8 (12-6 Big East, T-3rd)
• 2011-12: 34-3 (17-1 Big East, 1st)

Sources: NCAA Career Statistics database, searching under coaches for Jim Boeheim, and Jim Boeheim page at sports-reference.

Accomplishments

Some of Boeheim's notable accomplishments current as of March 28, 2016:

• Led Syracuse University to three national championship game appearances

(1987, 1996, 2003)

• Led Syracuse University to five Final Four appearances

(1987, 1996, 2003, 2013, 2016)

• Led Syracuse University to seven Elite Eight appearances

(1987, 1989, 1996, 2003, 2012, 2013, 2016)

• Led Syracuse University to 17 Sweet Sixteen appearances

(1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2016)

• Led Syracuse University to 30 NCAA Tournament appearances

(1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2016)

• Led Syracuse University to eight Big East regular season championships

(1980, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 2000, 2003, 2010)

• Led Syracuse University to five Big East tournament championships

(1981, 1988, 1992, 2005, 2006)

• Currently ranks second among active coaches in career wins (988)
• Currently ranks sixth all-time in Division I wins with 988.
• Leads all Big East coaches (past and present) in wins. (366)
• Ranks sixth among active Division I coaches (min. 10 years) in winning percentage (.750)
• In 38 seasons at Syracuse, has compiled 31 20-win seasons, good for most on the all-time list
• Became only the 14th coach ever to reach 750 wins (2007)
• Four-time Big East Coach of the Year (1984, 1991, 2000, 2010)
• USA Basketball's National Coach of the Year (2001)
• Under Boeheim, the Orange have only missed the NCAA Tournament two years in a row twice
• In recognition of Boeheim's numerous accomplishments as SU's head coach, the University named the Carrier Dome court "Jim Boeheim Court" on February 24, 2002.
• Basketball Hall of Fame (2005) as a coach
• Joined Mike Krzyzewski and Jim Calhoun as the third active coach with 800 wins.
• Coached the Orange to a six overtime win against the UConn Huskies, 127-117, the longest game in the history of Big East Conference play.
• Named 2010 Naismith Coach of the Year (along with the same honor from the AP, Sporting News and many others) after leading Syracuse to an unexpected 30-5 record.
• On December 17, 2012 Boehiem became the third coach in NCAA men's basketball history to reach 900 wins, along with Bob Knight and Mike Krzyzewski. 108 of those wins were vacated on June 3, 2015 after an NCAA investigation.

Coaching tree

These former assistant coaches or players of Boeheim later became head coaches at the collegiate level or higher.

• Scott Hicks: Le Moyne (1992-1997); Albany (1997-2000); Loyola (MD) (2000-2004)
• Brendan Malone: Rhode Island (1984-1986); Toronto Raptors (1995-1996); Cleveland Cavaliers (2005, interim)
• Wayne Morgan: Long Beach State (1996-2002); Iowa State (2003-2006)
• Rob Murphy: Eastern Michigan (2011-present)
• Tim O'Toole: Fairfield (1998-2006)
• Louis Orr: Siena (2000-2001); Seton Hall (2001-2006); Bowling Green (2007-2014)
• Rick Pitino: Boston University (1978-1983); Providence (1985-1987); New York Knicks (1987-1989); Kentucky (1989-1997); Boston Celtics (1997-2001); Louisville (2001-present)
• Tim Welsh: Iona (1995-1998); Providence (1998-2008)

Additionally, all three assistants Boeheim's 2015-16 coaching staff played at Syracuse under Boeheim: Adrian Autry, Mike Hopkins, and Gerry McNamara.

Personal life

Boeheim appeared in the movie Blue Chips, with Nick Nolte and Shaquille O'Neal, playing himself. Boeheim also appeared in the Spike Lee movie He Got Game, again playing himself. Boeheim has appeared in numerous commercials throughout Central New York, and also had a spot in a nationwide Nike Jordan ad featuring former Syracuse great Carmelo Anthony. Boeheim likes to listen to the music of Bruce Springsteen. In the interview, he said that he had no interest in pursuing any other career other than coaching Little League after he retires from coaching basketball.

Boeheim had prostate cancer in 2001, and subsequently became a major fund-raiser for Coaches vs. Cancer, a non-profit collaboration between the NABC and the American Cancer Society, through which he has helped raise more than US$4.5 million for ACS's Central New York chapter since 2000. In 2009, Boeheim and his wife, Juli, founded the Jim and Juli Boeheim Foundation, to expand their charitable mission to organizations around Central New York concerned with child welfare, as well as cancer treatment and prevention.

Boeheim and his wife, Juli, have three children together: Jimmy and twins, Buddy and Jamie; he has a daughter, Elizabeth, with former wife Elaine.

[ Source: Wikipedia ]