Jim Boeheim on "Bleeding Orange" for over half a century
Jim Boeheim is starting his 39th season as Syracuse University's men's basketball coach.
In his new memoir, "Bleeding Orange," the Hall of Famer who began at Syracuse as a player more than 50 years ago, looks back at half a century of Syracuse basketball.
"It's about recruiting and getting the right type of player, somebody that can play in your system and understand what you want to do," Boeheim said on "CBS This Morning." "I have three assistant coaches who all played for me. They know what I want and they help me get those guys."
Boeheim said the most important part of successful coaching is finding great players, and based on his track record, he knows how to pick the right ones.
In his career he's won 948 games as head coach and is number two on the Division I all-time list.
But the veteran coach didn't have the first few plays in his own life planned out so confidently.
"I went to Syracuse 52 years ago and I almost left the first year because I was playing against a guy named Dave Bing who ate my lunch every day," Boeheim said. "But my mother said, 'Don't worry about it. Just play better than the other guys and you'll make it.'"
And make it he did. He has a proud collection of awards including an NCAA championship, two Olympic gold medals and 14 Big East titles.
Despite the success, Boeheim admitted he still has a fear of failing.
"When I was 17 I was a walk-on, I didn't know if I'd make it at Syracuse," Boeheim said. "I was worried if I could even make the team. Luckily I did."
Even after his time as a player and assistant coach, he faced adversity when two members of the coach search committee expressed concern over Boeheim becoming head coach.
In the last decade, the leader who has bled orange for nearly half a century has been under NCAA's watch for various alleged academic-related violations.
But Syracuse is not the only school making headlines for flaws in their athletics programs. In October, a massive scandal was revealed involving the University of North Carolina basketball team.
"Well, we had a problem with the NCAA over some tutoring and some things, and that can happen," Boeheim said. "I'm not ashamed to say it.... Obviously it's troubling whenever you see that. Roy Williams is a good friend of mine. I know that he would not condone that."
Through it all, Boeheim emphasized his position not only as a coach but as a teacher as well.
"I've been in education my whole life and I feel that I'm a teacher," he said. "And if I'm not a good teacher with my guys, I'm not going to be there long."