Syracuse's Boeheim apologizes for claiming multiple ACC schools bought teams

Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim has issued an apology after recently claiming that multiple ACC schools bought their teams with large NIL deals.

"I would like to clarify remarks I made in a conversation I had with a media member following our game on Saturday evening," Boeheim said in a statement. "I apologize to the schools I mentioned. 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."

Boeheim specifically referenced Miami, Pittsburgh, and Wake Forest as examples of schools gaining an unfair advantage through NIL.

"This is an awful place we're in in college basketball," Boeheim told ESPN's Pete Thamel over the weekend. "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."

The NCAA met with Miami billionaire booster Jon Ruiz last June as part of an inquiry into the school's NIL deals. It was believed to be the first serious probe regarding a college athletic department since the NCAA approved an interim NIL policy for student-athletes last July.

Hurricanes starting guard Nijel Pack was among numerous student-athletes signed by Ruiz over the past year. The Kansas State transfer signed a two-year, $800,000 contract in April to promote Ruiz's health tech company LifeWallet. He also received a car as part of the deal.