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Former Pitt Great Brandin Knight Blasts Jim Boeheim, ‘A Lot of Us Know Who Got Paid’

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Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim has once again created national headlines with some controversial comments.

The 78-year-old Boeheim, who’s in the midst of another disappointing season, seems to be indirectly blaming their struggles on the impact of the transfer portal and NIL opportunities for athletes.

Syracuse is 14-10 and only 7-6 in the ACC. This once proud and nationally relevant basketball program hasn’t been ranked in four years and is on course to miss the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season.

Here is the quote that Boeheim is getting the most attention from.

“This is an awful place we’re in in college basketball,” Boeheim said, per Thamel’s story. “Pittsburgh bought a team. OK, fine. My (big donor) talks about it, but he doesn’t give anyone any money. 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,” Boeheim said. “That’s the reason they got out. The transfer portal and everything is nuts. It really is.”

Since his original interview with ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Boeheim has tried to went back on his comments because of the negativity and criticism he’s received from many people throughout the college basketball community.

Wake Forest head coach Steve Forbes took exception to Boeheim’s comments by responding., “He’s wrong. He’s one thousand percent wrong. I don’t have one player on my team that got NIL to come here. That’s a fact. I’ve NEVER had a player come here for NIL.”

Forbes isn’t the only coach that spoke out against Boeheim, as former Pitt great and current Rutgers assistant Brandin Knight had the strongest comments.

“This sounds like sour grapes. Next time ask Jim Boeheim how many teams he bought before NIL was legal. Don’t throw stones in a glass house. Remember you’ve been coaching a lot of years and a lot of us know who got paid.”

Keep in mind, Boeheim leveled this criticism and accusations of teams buying players despite having his program punished by the NCAA for massive violations.

Back in 2015, the NCAA suspended Boeheim for nine games and imposed harsh sanctions on the basketball program because of violations involving academic misconduct, extra benefits and the university drug testing policy that was allowed to occur under his watch for more than a decade.

The other interesting part to Boeheim’s criticism of Pitt’s “bought team”, is that this 2022-23 Pitt team was picked to finish 14th in the preseason ACC Media Poll. No one was accusing Jeff Capel of buying a team prior to the season.

 

Sandy Schall, Coldwell Banker
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Burton Tee
Burton Tee
1 year ago

The same Boeheim that hit and killed a man with his car.

rob
rob
1 year ago
Reply to  Burton Tee

This comment is uncalled for and has nothing to do with the topic.

Burton Tee
Burton Tee
1 year ago
Reply to  rob

OK snowflake

Eli
Eli
1 year ago

A former coworker of mine is from Syracuse. He said most of the long time locals up there have a Boeheim story about running into him here or there, and most of them end with “what an a-hole.”

TJ
TJ
1 year ago

good point … with a preseason pick of 14th, this was the worst team that money could buy. boeheim is running on fumes.

RonDon
RonDon
1 year ago

Let’s not forget somehow Boeheim got Pitt’s highest rated recruit in Judah Mintz

Dixon
Dixon
1 year ago

In addition to the Syracuse violations listed above was “impermissible booster activity” for incidents involving players being compensated for “volunteer” work in the early 2000’s…or about 20 yrs prior to the enactment of NIL rules.
Following the NCAA investigation the committee stated that the university “demistrated clearly misplaced priorities” and “violated or ignored the most fundamental core values of college sports governing body.”
Yeah, this guy has some big stones to be criticizing another program with his shady history.

JHoff14
JHoff14
1 year ago

The picture for this story should say it all about Boeheim! Go sit down, shut up and pick your nose!

Toledo Window Box
Toledo Window Box
1 year ago
Reply to  JHoff14

The Boheim pick pic made my day!

JHoff14
JHoff14
1 year ago

The worst part of that picture is, if I remember correctly he shook Jamie Dixon’s hand right after this.

kevin
kevin
1 year ago

CLASSLESS!!! Let’s not step down as low as him.
EVERYONE knew (evenSU fans), way before this, he’s past his prime and a classless blamer!
H2P

Rooster
Rooster
1 year ago

Boeheim is a cry baby but having said that I still don’t like NIL and the portal. There is NO loyalty anymore.

Pittband
Pittband
1 year ago
Reply to  Rooster

I think it was way past time the tables were leveled for the athletes. Schools made money, coaches made money, kids got screwed. And how much loyalty was bought by coaches lying to the players? You can’t tell recruits that they will start when there is only one starting spot.
Additionally, schools which ignored NCAA rules to “buy” players now don’t have that advantage. It’s leveled the field for the non thoroughbreds. .

Tim
Tim
1 year ago

Ah, Syracuse. With all they’ve been through I can’t believe he opened his mouth. It’s obviously time to go, Jim.

Cignetti & Friends
Cignetti & Friends
1 year ago

You mean Jimmy didn’t buy Carmelo Anthony ? Like the kettle calling the pot, black.

Cignetti & Friends
Cignetti & Friends
1 year ago

I can’t believe this t^rd including Wake Forest with it’s tiny 5,000 undergrad enrollment. Yep we all know they’re buying players. What an absolutely ludicrous statement. Was he drunk ? He needs to shuffle off to retirement.

Last edited 1 year ago by Cignetti & Friends
P1 Panthers
P1 Panthers
1 year ago

Boeheim = whining geezer

Andy
Andy
1 year ago

Why would so many California kids leave sunny Socal and go play basketball at that dump of a city? I really don’t think it was because boeheim was a nice guy.

Jim Garland
Jim Garland
1 year ago

The best thing about this story is the immediacy and strength of Brandin Knight’s defense of his alma mater. Didn’t pull punches. Fire!

TMG
TMG
1 year ago

The game changes ya big baby. Either adapt with it, or get your finger out your nose and get out the way.
Quit crying and get busy improving your team or retire.

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