Louis Orr Takes Siena Job
A tearful Louis Orr left Syracuse University where he grew up as a basketball player and assistant coach to take over the Siena Saints on Monday.
Orr, 42, signed a five-year contract and did not apologize for his emotions.
"I'm an emotional guy and I am not afraid to show it," Orr said.
He replaces Paul Hewitt, who took over at Georgia Tech after turning the Siena program into a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference power.
Hewitt, 36, quickly turned around the program at Siena, where he had a 66-27 record in three seasons at a school that had won only 22 games in the three previous years. The Saints reached the NCAA tournament in 1999, their first appearance in 10 seasons. Siena finished 24-9 this year, losing to Penn State in the second round of the NIT.
Orr brings major college and NBA experience to the suburban Albany school that competes with the likes of Marist, Niagara and Manhattan.
After an eight-year career as an NBA forward playing for the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks, Orr began coaching.
He was an assistant at Xavier and Providence before returning to Syracuse four seasons ago to work with Jim Boeheim, who recruited him as an 18-year-old high school senior out of Cincinnati. Orr was an integral part of Boeheim's first recruiting class at Syracuse, teaming with center Roosevelt Bouie, to help Boeheim get off to a fast start as a head coach.
Orr starred at Syracuse from 1976-80, finishing his career as the 17th all-time scorer in school history with 1,487 points and ninth all-time rebounder with 881. He was the 29th pick in the 1980 NBA draft.
Orr said it was difficult emotionally to leave Syracuse.
"I am a family man and Syracuse has been home for me. It has been a family. Coach Boeheim has coached me since I was 18 years old.
"The ardest thing is to leave your family. It is not easy leaving your family," said Orr, despite his excitement about being a head coach.
Orr said he would be bring a defensive orientation to the fast-paced, three-point shooting offense that has characterized recent Siena teams. He said he would add a 2-3 zone to the Siena defense and work on a half-court game while building on the running game that has been successful for the Saints.
Orr is the latest Boeheim assistant to become a college head coach, following Rick Pitino, Tim Welsh, Wayne Morgan, Ralph Willard and Tim O'Toole. Another Boeheim protege, Brendan Malone, who coached the Toronto Raptors, is an assistant with the Knicks.
Former Syracuse assistant Scott Hicks is coach of the University at Albany, which recently moved up to Division I.
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