Yesterday, the worst-kept secret in Syracuse history was made official. Mike Hopkins will be the next coach of Syracuse men’s basketball.
Hopkins had this to say in a statement yesterday:
“Very few people are afforded the privilege to coach at their alma mater. I want to thank Chancellor Syverud, the Board of Trustees and Jim Boeheim for entrusting me with this great program. Coach Boeheim has created one of the most preeminent college basketball programs in the country, one that is committed to a standard of excellence and consistency.”
With Jim Boeheim scheduled to retire at the end of the 2017-2018 season, the Orange didn’t need to look far to find a replacement. Hopkins had been the next-in-line for a while, and making the decision now instead of later only locks things into place.
Hopkins has always wanted to be the successor to Boeheim, but as more time passed more teams sought to take Coach Hop away from the Hill. He was¬†one of the finalists for the Oregon State head coaching position last year, and the year before that he interviewed for USC’s coaching vacancy. Syracuse fans feared Hopkins would end up leaving for another job if Boeheim showed no signs of slowing down. But Hopkins, like Boeheim, was loyal to him alma mater and waited for his number to be called.
Hopkins was one of the most well-liked players in Syracuse history, and his been with the school for 25 years. With that being said, he’ll still have a lot of work to do if he plans on filling Boeheim’s shoes.
Posted: Nathan Dickinson
