In the years leading up to Jim Boeheim’s appointed retirement at the end of the 2017-18 season, opposing coaches used the countdown as a negative recruiting pitch.
“A lot of coaches said, ‘You don’t want to go there because he won’t be coaching there,’’’ Boeheim said. “And all those coaches are gone. They’re all gone.’’
Now 74 years old, Boeheim still has no plans to retire.
“I’m coaching,’’ Boeheim said during an exclusive hour-long interview at the Final Four. “I tell every player the same thing. I’m coaching. I’m not going anywhere. Period. That’s it. There’s been no questions about that and there will be no questions about that because there is none.’’
Boeheim isn’t the only ACC coach who is beyond what once was mandatory retirement age. Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski is 72. Florida State’s Leonard Hamilton is 70. Jim Larranaga at Miami is 69. North Carolina’s Roy Williams is 68. He expressed some annoyance that he gets more questions about retirement compared to his coaching peers.
Boeheim said he doesn’t think his age and the questions regarding how long he will continue to coach have any effect on his ability to recruit.
“In today’s world, players are concerned about who is going to coach the next two years,’’ Boeheim said. “Most of them aren’t worried about four years. I’m planning on coaching. I’m healthy. I don’t have any plans to do anything else.’’
No timeline. No end-game.
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