Syracuse Director of Athletics Daryl Gross denied a report Tuesday that the university had reached a formal agreement making assistant men’s basketball coach Mike Hopkins the successor to head coach Jim Boeheim.

The Associated Press reported that a written agreement is in place stipulating that when Boeheim chooses to retire, the 13-year assistant Hopkins will take over as coach. Gross was quoted in the article as saying, ‘Jim isn’t going anywhere, but Mike is my next coach,’ but he said Tuesday night that his comments were taken out of context.

Gross reiterated there is no written contract in place and said his statement to The AP was ‘a concept.’

‘That story is not very accurate, and I find that it’s very premature to even be talking about it, and I indicated that to them,’ Gross said in a phone interview. ‘Everything that they talked to me about has totally been taken out of context, and I’m not very appreciative of what was reported.’

Hopkins was quoted in the story as saying he had reached an agreement and was ‘very humbled.’ Multiple calls to Hopkins, who is on the road, were not returned Tuesday night.

It has long been speculated that Hopkins, 37, would eventually succeed the legendary Boeheim, who is entering his 32nd season as head coach, but Syracuse has never officially indicated that a formal contract was signed. Boeheim hasn’t indicated a timetable for his retirement.

Hopkins played for Boeheim from 1989-1993 and joined the SU staff in 1995. In the past few years, he’s turned down head coaching overtures from other Division I schools, including Siena and St. Bonaventure.

‘Mike, as I always maintain, is an outstanding, extraordinary, rare coach,’ Gross said. ‘He is going to be a terrific head coach. He is. He’s going to be one of the best ever at some point. But it’s way too premature to even get into that conversation (of him taking over at Syracuse).’

The AP writer, reached Tuesday night by phone, stood by the original story and quote from Gross.

‘It shouldn’t even be in discussion right now,’ Gross said. ‘It’s unfortunate that somebody wrote something like that.’

Published on October 16, 2007 at 12:00 pm