Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim Comments on FBI Investigation and Why Nike Doesn’t Help Schools

Like so many other college coaches, Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim was not surprised when the FBI investigation resulted in the arrest of two shoe company executives in the corruption and bribery scandal that has hit college basketball like a sledge hammer.

In Boeheim’s mind, there has always been a concern over a shoe company’s involvement with recruits and their AAU programs.

“There was always some fear or belief that if a shoe company sponsored a kid, the shoe company would influence a kid to go to a particular school,” he said at Syracuse’s annual media day on campus. “I think the thing with the shoe companies, there’s always been some involvement. If you know anything about the shoe companies, they sponsor the AAU programs around the country. That’s 30 elite Nike programs. Five to 20 Adidas. Under Armour. There’s always been underlying thoughts that something was happening here or there.”

But Boeheim insisted the influence of some shoe companies is minimized because of the company’s sponsorship of college programs. A large company like Nike would not risk influencing a recruit to go to one Nike school when several other Nike schools were also involved.

“It doesn’t happen with Nike,” Boeheim said. “Nike has about 80 schools. The guys we’re recruiting, we’re recruiting against three or four Nike schools most of the time. (Nike) isn’t going to help one of those schools.”

That may be. But that doesn’t discount the possibility that coaches at Nike sponsored travel teams might steer their best players to Nike schools. I’m going to take a wait and see attitude on this one until the FBI finishes its investigation.