Bing best guard ever at SU.

[OrangePA]

I had to look up Greg Kohls.

What’s it like to be 80yo, guys?

You had to look up “The Kid”??

Greatest pure shooter in SU BB History???

 

[OrangePA]

Interesting discussion.
It seems Jimmy Lee should at least be mentioned.
He was Mr. Outside on a Final Four team.

And when we get to best forwards discussion I hope Mr. Inside on that team is included.
Rudy Hackett was an absolute monster.
Best power forward ever at SU besides Derrick.

For some reason that team is often forgotten.

Jimmy Lee absolutely is on the list.

A great player!

 

[Brooky03]

You had to look up “The Kid”??

Greatest pure shooter in SU BB History???

I’d never heard him mentioned before today. On broadcasts, on this board. Zilch.

He was clearly a helluva player.

 

[OrangePA]

I’d never heard him mentioned before today. On broadcasts, on this board. Zilch.

He was clearly a helluva player.

 

[Brooky03]

Btw, I meant “helluva player” sincerely. Re-reading that, I see how it could seem like I was being sarcastic (because I often am).

 

[Dick_in_MI]

I’d never heard him mentioned before today. On broadcasts, on this board. Zilch.

He was clearly a helluva player.

Bees and I mention him a couple of times a year all by ourselves. Am I right, Rick?

I think I posted once about being in a pickup game when I was a student and The Kid was on the other team. Seeing his skill up close was even more amazing than watching from the seats in Manley. Thankfully I wasn’t covering him.

It is true though that great guys like Kohls and Bill Smith who came from the Roy Danforth years are all but forgotten now and never known at all by many fans.

 

[rrlbees]

Bees and I mention him a couple of times a year all by ourselves. Am I right, Rick?

I think I posted once about being in a pickup game when I was a student and The Kid was on the other team. Seeing his skill up close was even more amazing than watching from the seats in Manley. Thankfully I wasn’t covering him.

It is true though that great guys like Kohls and Bill Smith who came from the Roy Danforth years are all but forgotten now and never known at all by many fans.

Very right Dick. And I agree with your last point. Some of the great players like Kohl’s and Smith are all but forgotten since it was so long ago. I’m glad I got to see them play.

 

[RF2044]

Very right Dick. And I agree with your last point. Some of the great players like Kohl’s and Smith are all but forgotten since it was so long ago. I’m glad I got to see them play.

Bees, you know that I brought this up multiple times with you, but I consider Smith to be strongly in contention for the best five in program history when things are compared historically.

 

[Wrinkle]

Best is a debate but greatest talent was Dion

 

[rrlbees]

Bees, you know that I brought this up multiple times with you, but I consider Smith to be strongly in contention for the best five in program history when things are compared historically.

I wouldn’t disagree with that. I’d probably put him 3rd behind Seikaly and Bouie but Smith is right there.

 

[OrangePA]

Bees and I mention him a couple of times a year all by ourselves. Am I right, Rick?

I think I posted once about being in a pickup game when I was a student and The Kid was on the other team. Seeing his skill up close was even more amazing than watching from the seats in Manley. Thankfully I wasn’t covering him.

It is true though that great guys like Kohls and Bill Smith who came from the Roy Danforth years are all but forgotten now and never known at all by many fans.

Bill Smith is the best pure center to ever play on The Hill in my opinion.

 

[RF2044]

I wouldn’t disagree with that. I’d probably put him 3rd behind Seikaly and Bouie but Smith is right there.

And just to be clear, since my voice recognition didn't model it properly, when I meant five I meant center. Not top five in program history

Which I know you interpreted correctly, just pointing it out.

 

[BillSU]

Offer your top ten SU guards after him. Is JB in the top ten? After all, he turned down an NBA contract.

Ten best pure point guards in Syracuse basketball history, IMO.

1Bing Dave Bing, the greatest player in Syracuse history, could do it all on and off the court. He led the Orangemen in scoring all three years, and was the all-time leading scorer until Sherman Douglas came along two decades later. Bing was a prolific scorer with a sweet shooting touch, but also a fantastic passer (if assists were official statistics throughout his career he would have racked up quite a few), and a phenomenal rebounder. As one NBA scout said, Bing may not have been the best at anything, but nobody was able to do as much as him.

2Douglas Sherman Douglas was the ultimate floor leader, leading Syracuse to its best three year run in school history. 'The General' was an excellent ball handler, who was a clutch scorer during the crucial moments of the game.

3Pearl Pearl Washington was one of the most electrifying players in Syracuse basketball history, thrilling record size Carrier Dome crowds with his playground style of basketball and his uncanny knack to make the big plays. The Pearl was the most highly recruited basketball player in the country before committing to Syracuse. He was already a legend in New York City, and fans couldn't wait to see him come up north. And he did not disappoint. He may have been the most important recruit in Syracuse basketball history, in terms of his impact of drawing crowds to the Dome, and helping SU to recruit their dynamic teams of the mid and late '80's.

4/5Hart Jason Hart was a tremendous defensive player and four year starter at point guard for Syracuse. Hart was an exceptionally quick player, able to defend opposing point guards well. With his speed and ability to drive the lane, he was able to be a good rebounder for his size. Hart would help guide a balanced offensive team his senior year, and one of the top defensive teams in the country. He was still turnover prone, but Hart returned to his playmaking focus, and his teammates benefited. Syracuse would win the Big East Regular season title, and make it to the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA. Hart would earn Big East First Team honors. He would leave Syracuse as the school's #2 all time assist man behind Sherman Douglas, and was the school's all-time leader in steals.

4/5McNamara Gerry McNamara was arguably the greatest clutch shooter in Syracuse basketball history. He was known for hot streaks where he could single handedly beat an opponent (against BYU in the 2004 NCAA tournament he set an SU record with 43 points in leading the Orangemen to victory), and he only needed a glimpse at the basket to get his shot off. "GMac" was an outstanding free throw shooter, setting the Big East single season record his freshman year at 90.9%, led the league three years in a row, and was the all-time conference free throw shooter.

5Autry Adrian 'Red' Autry was the starting point guard for Syracuse basketball for four seasons.
He was a big guard (6'4"), who could drive to the hoop and take advantage of his size, and take the perimeter shot when needed. Autry was a good playmaker, and a strong rebounder as a guard. He was also a solid free throw shooter who developed into a very reliable shooter by his junior season. Autry was not a quick player, but his size enabled him to be a very effective passer, and strong in the zone defensive scheme.

6Flynn

Jonny Flynn was a talented point guard for Syracuse basketball for two seasons. He was able to drive between defenders to the basket, pull up for the three point shot, or pass to an open teammate. He also played with an incredible toughness rarely taking breaks in a game.

Flynn was a high school teammate of Syracuse forward Paul Harris, and a McDonald's All-American. He and Donte' Greene came to Syracuse as one of the most heralded duos the school has ever had. Flynn did not disappoint.

Flynn had a reputation as being a great passer and showed he could also score by scoring 28 points in his first collegiate game, a home game against Siena, breaking the Syracuse freshman single game scoring record of 27 set by Carmelo Anthony. Flynn would play solid most of the season, and because of attrition of the available players at the guard position by time conference play started, he would play virtually every minute of the Big East season, averaging 39+ minutes a game. Flynn would be name Co-Rookie of the Year in the Big East, along with making the All Rookie Team, and Honorable Mention All-Big East.
​

7Duval

Dennis DuVal was a flashy point guard who combined substance with style, to become one of the top scoring players in Syracuse history. When he graduated he was second only to Dave Bing in career points.

'Sweet D' averaged 19.2 ppg on the freshman team in 1971, along with 7.7 rebounds. He made a big splash when he joined the varsity in 1972, scoring 15.8 ppg, giving Syracuse a 40 ppg backcourt with DuVal and Greg Kohls.

DuVal would lead the team in scoring and assists as a junior, on their way to a 24-5 record. As a senior, he would once again lead the team in scoring at 20.6 ppg. He scored a lot, and grabbed a lot of rebounds for a player his size, though DuVal consistently seemed to avoid going to the free throw line. He set the Syracuse record for field goals in a game with 18 against Bucknell in 1974, giving him 37 points for the game. He would have scored more, except he had only one free throw in the game; this was consistent throughout his career as he average slightly over 3 free throw attempts a game in his career. He excelled in the classroom too, achieving second team Academic All American status that year.

DuVal was always a flashy player, but coach Roy Danforth saw him goofing around with trick plays during practice. A showman himself, Danforth had DuVal create a pre-game 'show' that would entice the fans as the Orangemen warmed up for each game, which DuVal would do during his three years on the varsity.​

8Jardine

Scoop Jardine was a guard for Syracuse. Jardine was a solid passer with a keen ability to drive past defenders to get to the basket for short distance shots.

Jardine was a high school classmate and teammate of Rick Jackson, and they came to Syracuse together. Jardine came to Syracuse at the same time as the much heralded Jonny Flynn, and with the presence of Eric Devendorf, Andy Rautins, and Josh Wright already on the squad, he was not expected to play much his freshman year. That would change as the season unrolled as Devendorf and Rautins would have season ending injuries and Wright would quit the team. Jardine, along with classmate Kris Joseph, would suppress his ego and stress the team concept his senior year. He sacrificed his playing time and scoring in order to improve the team, and it worked as the Orange has their most successful regular season in school history​

9Lee

Jimmy Lee was one of the finest shooters in the history of Syracuse basketball. A local product, he followed his older brother Mike to Syracuse.

At Windsor High School, Lee averaged 26.2 ppg and 27.9 ppg his junior and senior seasons. He was a co-captain on the Syracuse Freshman team, leading the team to a 17-1 record, with 18.8 points and 4.8 rebounds a game.

Lee was an outstanding perimeter shooter, and one of the best free throw shooters in Syracuse history, hitting nearly 86% of his career free throw attempts. He was a clutch shooter and a decent ball handler. Syracuse made the NCAA tournament all three years that Lee was on the varsity, the first time that happened in school history.
Lee's senior season turned out to be a magical one. The team had lost three seniors, including the flashy Duval. Lee and Rudy Hackett were the lone seniors on the team, and would be the co-captains. Lee would again lead the team in free throw shooting (this time sixth best in the country), and led the team in assists, while second in scoring behind Hackett. The team played solid through the season, but nothing spectacular

Then the fun began. The Orangemen made a wonderful run through the NCAA Tournament behind hot shooting Jimmy Lee. All the players were playing well, but Lee was at the top.

In the Sweet Sixteen against heavily favored North Carolina, Syracuse was trailing at 76-75 with time running out. The Tarheels threw the ball out of bounds with five seconds to go. On the ensuing inbound pass, Lee made an 18 foot jumper from the left of the key to give the Orangemen a 77-76 lead, and the eventual win (SU would score 1 more point on a Jimmy Williams free throw to make the final score 78-76). Lee would end up with 24 points. In the Elite Eight overtime victory over Kansas State Lee has 25 points. The team was the Cinderella story of the tournament, and shocked everyone by reaching the Final Four for the first time. They would unfortunately lose to Kentucky in the Final Four, but not after a marvelous run; Lee scored 23 in the loss.​

10 Williams(tie)

Syracuse entered its last season in the Big East with a roster missing four key players from the previous season. Nevertheless there was still high expectations on Jim Boeheim’s program, as the team started the year ranked #9 in the country.

Sophomore Michael Carter-Williams would get his chance to finally shine as the starting point guard, and senior Brandon Triche would be his backcourt mate. C.J. Fair and Rakeem Christmas both returned, and hopes were that both would continue to improve. Big freshman DaJuan Coleman started at center.​

During the 2012 offseason, Carter-Williams worked on his game, from lifting weights daily and drinking protein shakes to try to get stronger, to doing shooting drills every morning and improving his nutrition. His hard work over the offseason translated into Carter-Williams' emergence as a breakout star for Syracuse and one of the best point guards in the nation during the 2012–13 season.[5] He went on to start his first game for Syracuse in the season opener and kept his starting role for the entire season, starting all 40 games. He finished his sophomore season with averages of 11.9 points, 5.0 rebounds, 7.3 assists and 2.7 steals in 35.2 minutes per game.[6] On March 28, 2013, he scored a career high 24 points as he led Syracuse past the No. 1 seed Indiana Hoosiers 61–50 in the NCAA's East Region semi-finals as they advanced to the NCAA's Elite Eight.[7] At the conclusion of the season, he earned Associated Press honorable mention All-American honors, as well as second-team All-Big East honors.

On April 10, 2013, Carter-Williams declared for the NBA draft, forgoing his final two years of college eligibility

​

10 Waiters(tie)

Dion Waiters was a guard for the Syracuse Orange basketball team for two seasons.

Waiters was part of the regular rotation his freshman season. He was an explosive offensive player with a nice shooting touch and an aggressive move to the basket. He struggled on defense, which limited some of his playing time, but he showed several moments of exciting offense throughout the season. He got into a highly publicized shouting match with coach Jim Boeheim mid-season. He would be benched for a game, and see reduced playing time for a few game, but eventually worked his way back into his playing time. In the season ending loss to Marquette in the NCAA tournament, Waiters was the lone bright spot with 18 points.

Waiters was far more team oriented his sophomore season, and accepted his role as the sixth man on the team. Waiters would not start a game all season, but he would play about the same amount of time as Brandon Triche and Scoop Jardine, and more importantly, Waiters was always on the court at the end of the game. He developed into Syracuse's best offensive weapon, with an nice combination of outside shooting and strong penetration to the basket.

Waiters defense improved dramatically too as he remained focused on it. He would lead the team in steals, and was an integral part of Syracuse's highly efficient fast break offense. He would be second on the team in scoring and had a career high 28 points in the Orange loss to Cincinnati in the Big East Tournament. Waiters played very well in the post season that season, but would be hampered with foul trouble in the NCAA Tournament against Ohio State, eventually fouling out, the only time in his career.

Waiters was named the Big East Sixth Man of the Year his sophomore season, and was also Third Team All Big East. He decided to leave school after his sophomore season to enter the NBA draft.

Waiters was the fourth overall pick in the 2012 NBA draft, selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers, this despite the fact he never started a game at Syracuse.

Orangehoops | Syracuse University Orange Basketball

History of Syracuse University Orange Basketball including statistics, player profiles and pictures, Syracuse Orangemen season summaries, and all-time best lists. If you are a fan of the Orange, you will love this.

www.orangehoops.org

​

 

[Cheriehoop]

I think Ennis has to be included somewhere. He was a true playmaking point guard in his only season here. He controlled game pace and had an amazing 3.24 assist to turnover ratio (5.5 assists to only 1.7 TO’s) and averaged over 2 steals and 12.9 points per game his freshman season. He didn’t have blazing speed but knew how to run an offense, play good defense, pass, all at a tempo he dictated. He was efficient and cerebral in his deliberate approach to the game. He also shot over 35% from 3 and led us to an unprecedented 25-0 start to the season as a freshman.

 

[two3zone]

I think Ennis has to be included somewhere. He was a true playmaking point guard in his only season here. He controlled game pace and had an amazing 3.24 assist to turnover ratio (5.5 assists to only 1.7 TO’s) and averaged over 2 steals and 12.9 points per game his freshman season. He didn’t have blazing speed but knew how to run an offense, play good defense, pass, all at a tempo he dictated. He was efficient and cerebral in his deliberate approach to the game. He also shot over 35% from 3 and led us to an unprecedented 25-0 start to the season as a freshman.

The awesome thing about Tyler too is that he wasn’t expected to be thrusted into the roll, he was planning on coming in to back up MCW but as the season progressed he knew the job was his, that’s a lot of pressure for a freshman, especially after coming off a couple 30 win seasons.

I like how quick Mintz is, but he could learn a lot by watching Ennis manage a game.

 

[OrangeDW]

Is your criteria based on individual talent or their resume as a college player? Like GMac is nowhere close to Dion in terms of talent, but Dion is nowhere close to GMac in terms of their contributions to the program.

Right. That’s why it’s hard to compare across eras because for a stretch we got all those 1 or 2 and done studs who were NBA lottery picks or 1st rounders(Flynn, Dion, MCW, Ennis) who were all more talented players than a GMac or an Autry - but GMac was a stud for 4 years, and senior year Autry was probably a better college player than all of them(maybe not soph. Flynn).

 

[cayugacuse]

Ten best pure point guards in Syracuse basketball history, IMO.

1Bing Dave Bing, the greatest player in Syracuse history, could do it all on and off the court. He led the Orangemen in scoring all three years, and was the all-time leading scorer until Sherman Douglas came along two decades later. Bing was a prolific scorer with a sweet shooting touch, but also a fantastic passer (if assists were official statistics throughout his career he would have racked up quite a few), and a phenomenal rebounder. As one NBA scout said, Bing may not have been the best at anything, but nobody was able to do as much as him.

2Douglas Sherman Douglas was the ultimate floor leader, leading Syracuse to its best three year run in school history. 'The General' was an excellent ball handler, who was a clutch scorer during the crucial moments of the game.

3Pearl Pearl Washington was one of the most electrifying players in Syracuse basketball history, thrilling record size Carrier Dome crowds with his playground style of basketball and his uncanny knack to make the big plays. The Pearl was the most highly recruited basketball player in the country before committing to Syracuse. He was already a legend in New York City, and fans couldn't wait to see him come up north. And he did not disappoint. He may have been the most important recruit in Syracuse basketball history, in terms of his impact of drawing crowds to the Dome, and helping SU to recruit their dynamic teams of the mid and late '80's.

4/5Hart Jason Hart was a tremendous defensive player and four year starter at point guard for Syracuse. Hart was an exceptionally quick player, able to defend opposing point guards well. With his speed and ability to drive the lane, he was able to be a good rebounder for his size. Hart would help guide a balanced offensive team his senior year, and one of the top defensive teams in the country. He was still turnover prone, but Hart returned to his playmaking focus, and his teammates benefited. Syracuse would win the Big East Regular season title, and make it to the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA. Hart would earn Big East First Team honors. He would leave Syracuse as the school's #2 all time assist man behind Sherman Douglas, and was the school's all-time leader in steals.

4/5McNamara Gerry McNamara was arguably the greatest clutch shooter in Syracuse basketball history. He was known for hot streaks where he could single handedly beat an opponent (against BYU in the 2004 NCAA tournament he set an SU record with 43 points in leading the Orangemen to victory), and he only needed a glimpse at the basket to get his shot off. "GMac" was an outstanding free throw shooter, setting the Big East single season record his freshman year at 90.9%, led the league three years in a row, and was the all-time conference free throw shooter.

5Autry Adrian 'Red' Autry was the starting point guard for Syracuse basketball for four seasons.
He was a big guard (6'4"), who could drive to the hoop and take advantage of his size, and take the perimeter shot when needed. Autry was a good playmaker, and a strong rebounder as a guard. He was also a solid free throw shooter who developed into a very reliable shooter by his junior season. Autry was not a quick player, but his size enabled him to be a very effective passer, and strong in the zone defensive scheme.

6Flynn

Jonny Flynn was a talented point guard for Syracuse basketball for two seasons. He was able to drive between defenders to the basket, pull up for the three point shot, or pass to an open teammate. He also played with an incredible toughness rarely taking breaks in a game.

Flynn was a high school teammate of Syracuse forward Paul Harris, and a McDonald's All-American. He and Donte' Greene came to Syracuse as one of the most heralded duos the school has ever had. Flynn did not disappoint.

Flynn had a reputation as being a great passer and showed he could also score by scoring 28 points in his first collegiate game, a home game against Siena, breaking the Syracuse freshman single game scoring record of 27 set by Carmelo Anthony. Flynn would play solid most of the season, and because of attrition of the available players at the guard position by time conference play started, he would play virtually every minute of the Big East season, averaging 39+ minutes a game. Flynn would be name Co-Rookie of the Year in the Big East, along with making the All Rookie Team, and Honorable Mention All-Big East.
​

7Duval

Dennis DuVal was a flashy point guard who combined substance with style, to become one of the top scoring players in Syracuse history. When he graduated he was second only to Dave Bing in career points.

'Sweet D' averaged 19.2 ppg on the freshman team in 1971, along with 7.7 rebounds. He made a big splash when he joined the varsity in 1972, scoring 15.8 ppg, giving Syracuse a 40 ppg backcourt with DuVal and Greg Kohls.

DuVal would lead the team in scoring and assists as a junior, on their way to a 24-5 record. As a senior, he would once again lead the team in scoring at 20.6 ppg. He scored a lot, and grabbed a lot of rebounds for a player his size, though DuVal consistently seemed to avoid going to the free throw line. He set the Syracuse record for field goals in a game with 18 against Bucknell in 1974, giving him 37 points for the game. He would have scored more, except he had only one free throw in the game; this was consistent throughout his career as he average slightly over 3 free throw attempts a game in his career. He excelled in the classroom too, achieving second team Academic All American status that year.

DuVal was always a flashy player, but coach Roy Danforth saw him goofing around with trick plays during practice. A showman himself, Danforth had DuVal create a pre-game 'show' that would entice the fans as the Orangemen warmed up for each game, which DuVal would do during his three years on the varsity.​

8Jardine

Scoop Jardine was a guard for Syracuse. Jardine was a solid passer with a keen ability to drive past defenders to get to the basket for short distance shots.

Jardine was a high school classmate and teammate of Rick Jackson, and they came to Syracuse together. Jardine came to Syracuse at the same time as the much heralded Jonny Flynn, and with the presence of Eric Devendorf, Andy Rautins, and Josh Wright already on the squad, he was not expected to play much his freshman year. That would change as the season unrolled as Devendorf and Rautins would have season ending injuries and Wright would quit the team. Jardine, along with classmate Kris Joseph, would suppress his ego and stress the team concept his senior year. He sacrificed his playing time and scoring in order to improve the team, and it worked as the Orange has their most successful regular season in school history​

9Lee

Jimmy Lee was one of the finest shooters in the history of Syracuse basketball. A local product, he followed his older brother Mike to Syracuse.

At Windsor High School, Lee averaged 26.2 ppg and 27.9 ppg his junior and senior seasons. He was a co-captain on the Syracuse Freshman team, leading the team to a 17-1 record, with 18.8 points and 4.8 rebounds a game.

Lee was an outstanding perimeter shooter, and one of the best free throw shooters in Syracuse history, hitting nearly 86% of his career free throw attempts. He was a clutch shooter and a decent ball handler. Syracuse made the NCAA tournament all three years that Lee was on the varsity, the first time that happened in school history.
Lee's senior season turned out to be a magical one. The team had lost three seniors, including the flashy Duval. Lee and Rudy Hackett were the lone seniors on the team, and would be the co-captains. Lee would again lead the team in free throw shooting (this time sixth best in the country), and led the team in assists, while second in scoring behind Hackett. The team played solid through the season, but nothing spectacular

Then the fun began. The Orangemen made a wonderful run through the NCAA Tournament behind hot shooting Jimmy Lee. All the players were playing well, but Lee was at the top.

In the Sweet Sixteen against heavily favored North Carolina, Syracuse was trailing at 76-75 with time running out. The Tarheels threw the ball out of bounds with five seconds to go. On the ensuing inbound pass, Lee made an 18 foot jumper from the left of the key to give the Orangemen a 77-76 lead, and the eventual win (SU would score 1 more point on a Jimmy Williams free throw to make the final score 78-76). Lee would end up with 24 points. In the Elite Eight overtime victory over Kansas State Lee has 25 points. The team was the Cinderella story of the tournament, and shocked everyone by reaching the Final Four for the first time. They would unfortunately lose to Kentucky in the Final Four, but not after a marvelous run; Lee scored 23 in the loss.​

10 Williams(tie)

Syracuse entered its last season in the Big East with a roster missing four key players from the previous season. Nevertheless there was still high expectations on Jim Boeheim’s program, as the team started the year ranked #9 in the country.

Sophomore Michael Carter-Williams would get his chance to finally shine as the starting point guard, and senior Brandon Triche would be his backcourt mate. C.J. Fair and Rakeem Christmas both returned, and hopes were that both would continue to improve. Big freshman DaJuan Coleman started at center.​

During the 2012 offseason, Carter-Williams worked on his game, from lifting weights daily and drinking protein shakes to try to get stronger, to doing shooting drills every morning and improving his nutrition. His hard work over the offseason translated into Carter-Williams' emergence as a breakout star for Syracuse and one of the best point guards in the nation during the 2012–13 season.[5] He went on to start his first game for Syracuse in the season opener and kept his starting role for the entire season, starting all 40 games. He finished his sophomore season with averages of 11.9 points, 5.0 rebounds, 7.3 assists and 2.7 steals in 35.2 minutes per game.[6] On March 28, 2013, he scored a career high 24 points as he led Syracuse past the No. 1 seed Indiana Hoosiers 61–50 in the NCAA's East Region semi-finals as they advanced to the NCAA's Elite Eight.[7] At the conclusion of the season, he earned Associated Press honorable mention All-American honors, as well as second-team All-Big East honors.

On April 10, 2013, Carter-Williams declared for the NBA draft, forgoing his final two years of college eligibility

​

10 Waiters(tie)

Dion Waiters was a guard for the Syracuse Orange basketball team for two seasons.

Waiters was part of the regular rotation his freshman season. He was an explosive offensive player with a nice shooting touch and an aggressive move to the basket. He struggled on defense, which limited some of his playing time, but he showed several moments of exciting offense throughout the season. He got into a highly publicized shouting match with coach Jim Boeheim mid-season. He would be benched for a game, and see reduced playing time for a few game, but eventually worked his way back into his playing time. In the season ending loss to Marquette in the NCAA tournament, Waiters was the lone bright spot with 18 points.

Waiters was far more team oriented his sophomore season, and accepted his role as the sixth man on the team. Waiters would not start a game all season, but he would play about the same amount of time as Brandon Triche and Scoop Jardine, and more importantly, Waiters was always on the court at the end of the game. He developed into Syracuse's best offensive weapon, with an nice combination of outside shooting and strong penetration to the basket.​

Best pure point guards in Syracuse history.

Waiters defense improved dramatically too as he remained focused on it. He would lead the team in steals, and was an integral part of Syracuse's highly efficient fast break offense. He would be second on the team in scoring and had a career high 28 points in the Orange loss to Cincinnati in the Big East Tournament. Waiters played very well in the post season that season, but would be hampered with foul trouble in the NCAA Tournament against Ohio State, eventually fouling out, the only time in his career.

Waiters was named the Big East Sixth Man of the Year his sophomore season, and was also Third Team All Big East. He decided to leave school after his sophomore season to enter the NBA draft.

Waiters was the fourth overall pick in the 2012 NBA draft, selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers, this despite the fact he never started a game at Syracuse.

Orangehoops | Syracuse University Orange Basketball

History of Syracuse University Orange Basketball including statistics, player profiles and pictures, Syracuse Orangemen season summaries, and all-time best lists. If you are a fan of the Orange, you will love this.

www.orangehoops.org

​

Thanks for the enjoyable write-up. Brings back many warm memories. Duval doing his pre-game gig was likely my first time at Manley when our coaches took us to a game when I was in 5th or 6th grade.

 

[OrangePA]

Thanks for the enjoyable write-up. Brings back many warm memories. Duval doing his pre-game gig was likely my first time at Manley when our coaches took us to a game when I was in 5th or 6th grade.

It was so much fun.

They should bring back the "Shaft" "It's Alright" "What You See Is What You Get" warm up music.

That would be great.

 

[OrangePA]

I wouldn’t disagree with that. I’d probably put him 3rd behind Seikaly and Bouie but Smith is right there.

Bill Smith started for the Portland Trailblazers as a rookie - had 18 points in his first game against Kareem.

And then suffered a career ending knee injury.

A real shame.

 

[rrlbees]

Bill Smith started for the Portland Trailblazers as a rookie - had 18 points in his first game against Kareem.

And then suffered a career ending knee injury.

A real shame.

Plus Bill was tough and nasty. Jesse could use some Bill.

 

[Eric15]

Plus Bill was tough and nasty. Jesse could use some Bill.

Minus the whole “attacking refs” thing.

 

[rrlbees]

Minus the whole “attacking refs” thing.

Yea that was a big mistake but part of his “persona”. Other than DC, Smith and Tommy Stundis are the toughest players we’ve had.

 

[OrangePA]

Yea that was a big mistake but part of his “persona”. Other than DC, Smith and Tommy Stundis are the toughest players we’ve had.

Did Smith punch a referee or a player?

I remember he was suspended during his junior year for punching somebody

 

[BillSU]

I think Ennis has to be included somewhere. He was a true playmaking point guard in his only season here. He controlled game pace and had an amazing 3.24 assist to turnover ratio (5.5 assists to only 1.7 TO’s) and averaged over 2 steals and 12.9 points per game his freshman season. He didn’t have blazing speed but knew how to run an offense, play good defense, pass, all at a tempo he dictated. He was efficient and cerebral in his deliberate approach to the game. He also shot over 35% from 3 and led us to an unprecedented 25-0 start to the season as a freshman.

Cheriehoop, here's your man: Stayed one year as you know

10Tyler Ennis

Season Stats

Season	Cl	Pos	G	GS	Min	FG	FGA	%	FT	FTA	%	3Pt	3PA	%	Asst	Reb	DReb	OReb	Fls	DQ	TO	ST	BS	Pts	PPG	APG	RPG
2013-14	Fr	G	34​	34​	1215​	148​	360​	41.1%​	114​	149​	76.5%​	30​	85​	35.3%​	187​	115​	88​	27​	69​	1​	58​	71​	6​	440​	12.9​	5.5​	3.4​
Career			34​	34​	1215​	148​	360​	41.1%​	114​	149​	76.5%​	30​	85​	35.3%​	187​	115​	88​	27​	69​	1​	58​	71​	6​	440​	12.9​	5.5​	3.4​

Tyler Ennis was a point guard for Syracuse for one memorable season. Ennis was known as a playmaker coming out of prep school, and he had big shoes to fill, as he was the only point guard on the team and had to replace the talented Michael Carter-Williams.
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Ennis was known for playing the game at his pace, a slow deliberate style with no turnovers. He could not be rushed, had a calm demeanor on the court, and quickly developed the reputation for being a clutch performer. Syracuse would have a lot of close games during Ennis career, and they would win a disproportionate number of them due to his ability to find the right player at the right time, or make the tough shot himself.

Syracuse would play Duke at the Carrier Dome in the first meeting of the two teams in ACC play. The game would go into overtime with the Orange winning in dramatic fashion. Ennis displayed all his trademark characteristics in the game. During the last five minutes of the game and the overtime period, Ennis would score eight points on one field goal, hitting six out of six free throws, dishing out 3 assists and having no turnovers.

Syracuse was 23-0 when it played Pitt down at Pederson Field House. Pitt led 54-53 when Ennis was fouled with ten seconds left on the clock. Ennis drained both free throws, using his typical style where he did not look at the basket until right before he took the shot. The Orange would have their first lead of the second half 55-54. Pitt would retake the lead 56-55 when Talib Zanna was fouled, and he made both his free throws.

Syracuse inbounded the ball to Tyler Ennis. The play was designed to go to Fair, but he was well guarded, so Ennis drove down the right side of the court. Pitt double teamed Ennis, but he was able to get between the two defenders and make a 35 foot three point shot as the buzzer expired! The Orange would win 58-56 and move to 24-0.

Syracuse would eventually lose, snapping their streak at 25, when the struggled against Boston College. The Orange struggled down the stretch of the season, with the team unable to make the shots they needed, despite the fact Ennis was getting the ball to the right players.

The Orange would face Dayton in the 2nd round of the NCAA tournament, and the Flyers held a two point lead. Syracuse had a chance to win the game at the buzzer with Ennis taking a three point shot. All season long Ennis had made the shot they needed, but this time it did not fall, and the Orange lost.

Ennis would earn recognition on the All-ACC Second Team and the All-ACC Rookie Team.

Ennis would declare early for the NBA draft, and would be selected in the first round with the 18th overall pick by the Phoenix Suns. He would be traded mid season to the Milwaukee Bucks, after only playing eight games for Phoenix. He was traded to the Houston Rockets prior to the 2016-17 season, and traded mid-season that year to the Los Angeles Lakers.​

NBA Career Statistics

Season	Team	Pos	G	Min	FG	FGA	%	FT	FTA	%	3FGA	3FGM	%	Asst	Reb	Fls	DQ	TO	ST	BS	Pts	PPG	APG	RPG
2014-15	Phoenix/Mil​	G	33​	411​	52​	144​	36.1%​	5​	7​	71.4%​	12​	43​	27.9%​	73​	35​	36​	​	42​	18​	5​	121​	3.7​	2.2​	1.1​
2015-16	Milwaukee​	G	46​	654​	84​	187​	44.9%​	25​	34​	73.5%​	13​	39​	33.3%​	95​	75​	64​	​	46​	25​	1​	206​	4.5​	2.1​	1.6​
2016-17	Houston/Lakers​	G	53​	588​	90​	208​	43.3%​	21​	25​	84.0%​	27​	70​	38.6%​	86​	46​	58​	​	45​	26​	2​	228​	4.3​	1.6​	0.9​
2017-18	LA Lakers​	G	54​	683​	94​	224​	42.0%​	22​	29​	75.9%​	14​	56​	25.0%​	105​	95​	75​	​	38​	30​	10​	224​	4.1​	1.9​	1.8​
Total​		G	186​	2,336​	320​	763​	41.9%​	73​	95​	76.8%​	66	208	31.7%	359​	250​	233​	-​	171​	98​	18​	779​	4.2​	1.9​	1.3​

Ennis would be unsigned by the NBA in 2018, and would choose to play in the Turkish league.

 

[baggerbob]

Did Raf Addison play enough guard as a senior to call him a guard? (IIRC, he played about as much in the backcourt as Moten did, give or take.)

If so, he's not getting left off my list.

Bing,
Kohls,
Duval,
Pearl,
Addison,
Douglas,
Moten,
McNamara,
Flynn,
Scoop (don't @ me).

You get a like for putting Sweet D in, how he isn't considered top 10 puzzles me. And Billy Gabor, and Vinnie Cohen belong in there.