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Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim backtracks on ‘bought a team’ comments, sees ‘no solution’ to NIL world

Originally posted on The NIL Deal | By Seamus McAvoy | Last updated 2/6/23

Syracuse men’s basketball coach Jim Boeheim on Monday apologized for remarks made over the weekend in which he accused other ACC schools of using NIL money to buy their teams, while claiming there is “no solution” to the mixed-bag effects of NIL and the Transfer Portal on college sports.

“I’ve been in the game for 50 years, probably some people think too long. Every problem we’ve faced over those 50 years, there’s been a solution. Things could be figured out. There is no solution for this,” Boeheim said.

“There’s a call for Congress [to get involved], that’s the craziest… But there’s just no solution,” Boeheim said.

Boeheim sparked minor controversy for NIL-related comments made over the weekend, as quoted in an ESPN article. In it, the Hall of Fame coach came down harshly on NIL and the Transfer Portal, blaming their transformative effect on college athletics for the recent retirements of former Villanova coach Jay Wright and former Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski.

“This is an awful place we’re in in college basketball,” Boeheim said. “Pittsburgh bought a team. OK, fine. My [big donor] talks about it, but he doesn’t give anyone any money [before they get to Syracuse]. Nothing. Not one guy. Our guys make like $20,000. Wake Forest bought a team. Miami bought a team. … It’s like, ‘Really, this is where we are?’ That’s really where we are, and it’s only going to get worse.”

“It’s crazy. That’s why those guys got out — that’s why Jay [Wright] got out, Mike [Krzyzewski] got out. That’s the reason they got out. The Transfer Portal and everything is nuts. It really is,” he added.

According to the article, Boeheim later followed up to say he “absolutely misspoke” about Wake Forest and Pitt buying teams.

Boeheim issued a statement apologizing to all the schools he mentioned ahead of Monday’s ACC coaches teleconference.

“I believe the ACC member institutions are in compliance with NCAA rules governing Name, Image and Likeness (NIL). It was not my intention to imply otherwise,” the statement reads.

Statement from Coach Boeheim pic.twitter.com/MPwig9m6eu
— Syracuse Men’s Basketball (@Cuse_MBB) February 6, 2023

During his media availability, Boeheim further clarified his remarks, which he said were made while walking to the locker room after a press conference had already ended.

“All the NILs that I know of are legal and within the rules completely, 100%,” Boeheim said. “It’s the way college basketball is going.”

“The Transfer Portal is good for kids,” Boeheim said. “It can be bad, but it’s here, and players should have that opportunity. NIL is here, and it’s good.”

At the ACC coaches media availability, Pittsburgh coach Jim Capel and Wake Forest coach Steve Forbes both said they’ve spoken with Boeheim, but neither shared what was said in those conversations.

“I’m fine with coach. I like him. I’ve got the utmost respect for him,” Forbes said.

“I have no reaction to it. Everyone’s entitled to their own opinion,” said Capel.

Miami coach Jim Larranaga was not on the teleconference due to the Hurricanes’ game against Duke on Monday night.

Boeheim has been raising NIL-related concerns for some time, including concerns about a lack of equality between schools, sports, and men’s and women’s teams.

“NIL is nothing but colleges collecting money now and arranging deals for players and their collectives,” Boeheim said in August. When you start paying, are you going to pay everybody? What about the girl’s teams?”

The 315 Foundation, a Syracuse-focused NIL collective, went live with its website last August and is pushing to help the university become more competitive in the NIL space.

Syracuse is also benefiting from recent NIL deals struck by booster Adam Weitsman, who has reportedly committed $1 million across several student-athletes and who played a factor in the men’s basketball team landing four-star recruit Elijah Moore.

“Almost all the (Syracuse basketball players) are on deals,” Weitsman told The NIL Deal in January, while adding that he’s working on deals with the football team and in women’s sports.

“We do have a good collective, people are involved with that,” Boeheim said Monday. “We have a strong NIL for our players, for our current players, and I think that’s obviously the future of basketball.”

This article first appeared on The NIL Deal and was syndicated with permission.

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