older cuse fans I got a question

[Toga]

Otis Hill

My man Otis.

 

[Shawn91111]

The best I have seen/grew up with was Billy Owens without a doubt. Just a tremendous, special player.

 

[SimonSays]

I love how this thread completely deviated from the original question. You old heads will bring old cuse history into everything

 

[UCHusky90]

As a hated opponent who is 54, my most hated (which means the best) were Coleman, Pearl, Moten, Stevie Thompson (I actually enjoyed watching him) and Leo Rautins. Your move to the ACC meant I didn't really watch you anymore unless we were head to head, so my choices are Big East heavy.

 

[BillSU]

for the older fans, you’ve had the chance to watch some of the greatest cuse basketball players ever, whether your in your 30’s or your 90’s.

for the younger fans, i’d says 25 and less, have had the chance to see many great teams in their own respect, but not to the same degree when cuse entered the acc.

so my question is for these older fans what are your 5 favorite players of all time in the last decade?(2010-2020).

rautins?scoop?southerland?cooney?battle?boeheim?triche?fair?gillion?waiters? there’s so many, i’m really interested in what you think.

There are a lot of great players in the time I have been watching but I'm considering the best of them all since 1962 not just the last decade.

This was when Manley was brand new and Fred Lewis was head coach and Syracuse was becoming a national power.

In 1976, JB started his run to date of 46 years. He played with Dave Bing, IMO, the player who contributed most to and was the catalyst of starting the Syracuse run. I'm going by decade listing the best player(s), their Total Points, PPG, AST, & REB. Assists were not recognized by the NCAA as an official stat until the 1965-66 season and freshman teams were not eliminated until the 1972 season.
The players listed were All Americans, some more than one year during their time at SU. And, all were exciting to watch. They are all on all decade teams from the 60's to the 2000's. The best all time, IMO. I spent time doing a short player bio on each of my picks to possibly educate the younger people about some great players. A great deal of the bio information is from the best resource for Orange basketball I have ever found, orangehoops.org Kudos and thanks to R.L. Young


1960-1969
PTS PPG APG RPG
Dave Bing 1,883 24.8* 6.6 10.3 In '62 and '63 they were still playing Freshman ball 6'3" 180 and more showed up to see Bing play than the Guard varsity. He averaged 25.7. A great passer and leaper he would have averaged many more assists but the NCAA did not consider them as an official stat until 1965. Watching him play was amazing - he would effortlessly pin a ball against the backboard to negate a shot. In '65 he averaged 28.4 PPG, still an Orange record. Drafted 2nd by the Pistons he spent
12 seasons scoring 23PPG & 18,327 PTS. He was Rookie of the year and led the NBA in scoring his second. Elected to the BBHOF in 1980 his #22 was the first jersey retired at Syracuse.


1970-1979 PTS PPG APG RPG

Dennis Duval 1,504 18.6 3.6 4.3 Watching DuVal pre-game was a show in itself. He
6' 2" 172 had Danforth's permission to be exciting and he was.
Guard On the court he was even better. Drafted into the NBA
he would play two years then became the police chief of the Syracuse Police and serve for 26 years. Named
to the Syracuse All Century team in 2000 and Syracuse
Hall of Fame in 1994.


Louis Orr 1487 12.8 2.2 7.6 JB's first recruit, Orr was a star player from Cinncinnati
6' 8" Forward Orr would combine with Roosevelt Bouie to form the Bouie 'N Louie show at Syracuse, an outstanding four year record of 100-18. He and Bouie formed a dynamic one-two punch, both able to score inside and rebound. His 15' jumper was deadly and his re-
bounding was excellent with Bouie. Drafted into the NBA he spent 8 years mostly with New York. After the NBA he became an assistant at Xavier, Providence and Syracuse before becoming head coach at Siena then Seton Hall. He recently joined the staff at Georgetown He is a member of the All Century Team and his number was retired with Bouie's in 2015


Roosevelt Bouie 1560 13.2 0.6 8.4 Watching Bouie was easy. You always had the feeling 6' 11" 235 Center that he was near the low post and if he was had the rebound or had the shot go down if he was with the
ball. He was also a tremendous shot blocker. Along with Louie they provided quite a defensive wall against
other teams. he was very athletic for big man and ran
the floor very well. A freshman ans senior All American Bouie was picked 34th in the 1980 draft by the Mavericks but went to Italy and played 13 years and is considered a legend. All Century pick in 2000.



1980-1989 PTS PPG APG RPG

Sherman Douglas 2060 14.9 7.0 2.2
6' 165 Guard One of the most exciting players on one of the best
of the best SU teams ever. He could do every
thing, score, a play-maker, a true point guard. His trademark move was the alley - oop pass under handing the ball perfectly to Stevie Thompson who would sky and dunk the ball during a fast break. Like Pearl whose position he came in to fill there was no
reason to try and full court press us because Sherm
would find a way to get out of it. NBA for 9 seasons his jersey was retired in 2005 and is a member of the
All Century Team.

Pearl Washington 1490 15.7 6.7 2.7
6' 3" 190 Guard The other electrifying player for SU was already a legend in NYC. He wasn't especially fast but he was a magician with the ball with a handle you couldn't believe. He could shake and bake and drive through defenders for an easy basket. If they collapsed on him he would kick the ball out to Addison who would take the open shot. I believe it is because of Pearls arrival that cemented SU as a high major. 5 star players wanted to come to play at the Dome. His legacy is immense. He left early for the NBA and played three years. He is a member of the All
Century Team and had his number retired.

Derrick Coleman 2143 15.0 2.3 10.8
6' 10" 225 Forward
Derrick could do it all for a big man. I used to love to watch him irritate the other team with the swagger
and confidence he brought to each game. A very good ball handler and a rebounder without peer. He
pulled down more rebounds than any other player
in the NCAA during his career. He also possessed a great outside shot unique for a big man. He was
drafted #1 by the Nets and played for 15 years in the NBA. He is a member of the All Century Team and his
jersey was retired in 2006. He was named 1st Team All Big East on their 25th anniversary.

Rafael Addison 1876 14.9 2.5 5.2
6' 7" Forward / Guard Raf didn't look like an exceptional basketball player but he once set the freshman steals record in a game
with 7. He with Pearl combined to make SU a very good team after the loss of three seniors. He led the team in scoring as a sophomore and junior taking
aim at Dave Bings career scoring record but an early winter injury to one of his legs hurt him and he ended up 6 points shy. Drafted in 1986 by Phoenix he spent
a total of six seasons in the NBA and five as an AllStar in Italy. He is a member of the All Century Team.


Rony Seikaly 1716 12.6 0.6 8.0
6' 10" 235 Center Rony came to SU in 1983 and became a dominant
scorer and rebounder but he was a raw talent and it took him until his junior season to get there. Spurred on by some rude remarks by Brent Musberger he scored 33 points in the NCAA tournament, 26 and 11
rebounds in an upset over North Carolina. He played well against Indiana but Sherm was ill and we lost to
Indiana in the Championship game. He wsa the 9th pick in the first round of the 1988 NBA Draft and spent 11 years in the NBA primarily with the Miami Heat. He is a member of the Syracuse All century Team and his number was retired in 2007 the seventh SU player given that honor.


1990-1999 PTS PPG APG RPG

Adrian Autry 1538 12.7 5.2 3.8
6' 4" 190 Adrian "RED" Autry was the starting point guard
for Syracuse basketball for four seasons. The team needed a solid point guard. Autry met that need
and help guide the Orangemen to a 26-4 regular
season, winning the Big East regular season title.
Autry became a star point guard his senior season,
averaging over six assists a game and nearly
seventeen points. He had developed into an effective
three point shooter, and he, Moten, and John Wallace
were a solid scoring trio. Autry would have a stellar
game against Kentucky leading the Orangemen to a
93-85 victory. He would score 30 points going 10-15
from the floor, 6-6 from the free throw line and 4-7 from , three point range and 10 assists.
Autry would go undrafted in the NBA, and instead play in Europe for several seasons. He played in Istanbul, Turkey from 1995-1996, Germany from 1997 to 1999, Italy from 1999 to 2001 France from 2002 to 2003, and in Poland from 2004 to 2005. Autry would come back to the United States and get involved in coaching at the AAU level, eventually coaching high school basketball and moving to the NCAA as an assistant coach for Virginia Tech. In 2011, Autry would become an assistant basketball coach at
Syracuse, joining Jim Boeheim's staff staff. Autry was named a Syracuse University Letterwinner of Distinction in 2016, and a winner in 2017.


Lawrence Moten 2334* 19.3 2.5 4.9 A scorer Moten had a very fast move to the basket 6'5" 185 Shooting Guard that was difficult to defend. Very fluid moving within the game. *Career leading scorer at SU.
He was drafted in the 2nd round (36th pick overall) by the NBA's Vancouver Grizzlies after graduation. Moten had three seasons withe Grizzlies.After leaving the NBA, he played minor league ball in the United States in the CBA and ABA, and international basketball in Spain and Venezuela. He made the ABA All-Star team, and became vice president of player development for the ABA's Maryland Nighthawks. He would move into coaching as head coach of the Maryland Knighthawks and the Rochester RazorSharks in the Premier Basketball League (PBL).



Billy Owens 1840 17.9 3.7 8.8 Owens Owens was one of the most highly recruited 6' 8" 230 high school players in the country, having led Carlisle High School to three straight Pennsylvania state championships. He came to Syracuse following his brother Michael who was a star running back on the football team. He scored 30 + 8 times, and 10 times he had 15 or more rebounds in a game. He lead Syracuse to a 26-4 regular season record, reaching #6 in the country. For much of the season he carried the team on his shoulders, as team had an inexperienced backcourt. He was taken 3rd by the Sacramento Kings and had a ten year NBA career. Owens was named to the Syracuse All Century Team team in 2000. He had his uniform retired by Syracuse in 2008.

​

John Wallace 1065 16.7 2.0 8.4
6' 8" 225 Forward
Wallace was the New York state high school player of the year his senior year at Greece-Athena High School after leading his team to an unbeaten record and the New York state championship. Wallace was inserted into the starting line up the first game of his freshman season, and would stay there four years. His freshman season he focused primarily on playing near the hoop, and it paid off as he lead the team in rebounding. Wallace was named to the Big East All Rookie team that year. After Wallace's junior year, there was much speculation that he might decide to turn professional. He had been named first team All Big East, he was projected as a mid first round NBA pick, and Syracuse's returning squad was already weakened by the loss of three starters. However, Wallace wanted his degree and wanted to improve his game, so he announced he was staying for a fourth year. Wallace's fourth season was a magical one for him and the Orangemen. He would finish the season averaging 22 points a game, and leading the team in scoring thirty of the thirty eight games they played. Five times Wallace would score 30 + points in a game. Wallace had worked on his perimeter shooting over the summer, and he now was a threat from three point range; he would make 42% of his long distance shots on the season. Wallace would once again be named to the All Big East First Team.
Wallace would be drafted in the first round of the 1996 NBA draft, with the 18th selection by the New York Knicks. He would play in the league for 9 years before leaving for Italy.Wallace was named to the Syracuse All Century team in 2000

Etan Thomas
6' 9" 245 Center 1340 11.0 0.4 6.9
Etan Thomas was a dominating defensive center for Syracuse basketball for four seasons. He was an outstanding shot blocker, an extremely strong player who defended his opponent well. Thomas had excellent hands, and became a strong inside scoring presence for the Orangemen. Thomas never had a decent perimeter shot (he never even attempted a three point shot in his college career), but he was outstanding in the low post scoring 60% of the time. Despite his size and strength, Thomas was a solid though never outstanding rebounder until his senior year. He was known as Derrick Thomas while he was being recruited and during his freshman season, using his middle name instead of his first name. He switched to Etan his sophomore year. He would be the first Syracuse player to win the Big East Defensive Player of the Year and would earn the distinction in
back to back seasons his junior and senior year Thomas would be drafted by Dallas Mavericks in the 2000 NBA Draft with the 12th overall pick in the 1st
round and play in the league for ten years. Thomas was diagnosed with valve leakage in his heart in the fall of 2007, and would have open heart surgery. This would sideline him for the 2007-2008 season. The next season he would return, but a knee injury would limit his season. In 2009 he was traded to Minnesota in the off season, and then from Minnesota to Oklahoma City, where he would play for the year. He was released after the season, and would play for the Atlanta Hawks in 2010-2011, and released after the season. Thomas was named to the Syracuse University All century Team in 2000, In March of 2005, Thomas published a book of poetry entitled 'More Than Just an Athlete'. In 2012 he wrote a second book entitled 'Fatherhood: Rising to the Ultimate Challenge'.

Other players who were exciting to watch and two of my favorites were Jason Hart and Mike Hopkins


2000-2009 PTS PPG APG RPG


Jonny Flynn 1211 16.6 6.0 2.7
6' 0" 186 Guard
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 Green

came to Syracuse as one of the most heralded duos​

the school has ever had. 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 theALL Rookie Team, and Honorable Mention Big East. Flynn's play making became more spectacular as the Big East season rolled on, and the Orange were playing far more effectively as a result. Flynn made a great pass to Rautins for the game clinching overtime shot against Marquette, to wrap up the regular season. Flynn would follow in the steps of legendary Syracuse guards Pearl Washington and Sherman Douglas and make the Big East Tournament his own special show. Flynn would score 19 points and have 11 assists in the first round of the tournament as Syracuse easily won over Seton Hall. The next game was against#4 nationally ranked UConn, a game that would go down as one of the greatest Big East Tournament games ever played. The game would go six overtime periods before Syracuse would eventually win it 127-117. Flynn played 67 of the possible 70 minutes in that game, including all thirty minutes of overtime. Along the way he would score 34 points, including 16 of 16 from the free throw line. He was drafted in the first round of the 2009 NBA Draft with the 6th overall pick by the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Flynn would have a solid rookie season as the starting point guard for the Timberwolves. He would injure​

his hip late in the season, and have off season surgery to fix it, delaying the start of his second season. When he returned he could not regain his starting position. He would be traded to the Houston Rockets in the off season, and then midway through the 2011-12 season he would be traded to the Portland Trailblazers.

Gerry McNamara 2099 15.5 4.8 2.5
6' 2" 182 Guard
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. Gerry form Scranton, PA, if I remember correctly shot 300 3pt shots a night after practice to get as good as he was. The pleasant surprise with GMac was his ability to solidly play the point guard position. Unexpectedly thrust into role as the starting point guard his freshman year as a result of Billy Edlin's suspension, GMac started every game of
of the season at the point, and was a key factor in the NCAA Championship season. He tied an NCAA record with 6 three point baskets in the first half of the championship game; an injury shortly before half time shut him down for the second half. A scrappy player, and one of the most popular players in Syracuse history, McNamara was named to the Big East third team his sophomore year, and the Big East first team his junior and senior years. Busloads of fans would drive up to the Carrier Dome to see 'The Mayor of Scranton' play each home game. The following description depicts one of the most amazing tournament play have ever seen. If you have not seen it try and get a taped version from an admin or someone who has a copy of the tape.

McNamara made the 2006 Big East tournament his personal highlight film, with one of the greatest tournament performances ever.​

Syracuse needed to win a couple of Big East tournament games that year to qualify for the NCAA tournament. Syracuse trailed Cincinnati by two points in the first round of the Big East Tournament with time expiring. McNamara drove the length of the court, past two defenders, and launched a one handed running three point shot to win the game as time expired! The next evening, Syracuse faced #1 ranked Connecticut. Again, as time expired, McNamara hit a three point shot to send the game into overtime (a game Syracuse would eventually win). The third night, Syracuse faced perennial rival Georgetown, and Syracuse trailed by 15 at the half. McNamara hit five three pointers in the second half, including one with a minute to go, to tie the game up. Then as time expired he threw a beautiful bounce pass toEric Devendorf who scored to win the game. Finally, against Pittsburgh on the fourth night (and the championship game), Syracuse got out to a big lead. Pittsburgh climbed back into the game, and took their first lead with 10 minutes to go. McNamara promptly hit a three point shot on the next possession, and the Orange never trailed again on their way to the title. McNamara was named the Big East Tournament MVP for his heroics.
Unfortunately, his last game would end on a down note. In the NCAA tournament against Texas A&M, McNamara's injury flared up, and he struggled to play. After only 23 minutes of playing time, he sat on the bench for the last seven minutes, despite the fact Syracuse was in a close game. The Orangemen would end up losing and GMac's career would be
done.
McNamara played basketball in Greece following graduation. He would leave that team early in the season and play most of 2006-2007 for the Bakersfield Jam of the NBDL. At the end of 2007, he would return to the Greek league.

McNamara would return to Syracuse for his graduate degree and serve as a graduate assistant coach from 2009-2011. In 2011, he was elevated to an assistant coach.

McNamara was awarded the Vic Hanson medal of Excellence in 2019 for his contributions to Syracuse basketball.

Carmelo Anthony 778 22.2 2.2 10.0​

6' 8" 195 Forward
Carmelo Anthony put together the finest single freshman season in Syracuse basketball history, as the small forward led the Orangemen to their first NCAA tournament National Championship in 2003. 'Melo' played with a constant smile and a low key personality that allowed him to be a fan and teammate favorite. The consummate player, he could handle every facet of the game and do it well, always played within himself, and was the ultimate team player improving all those around him.

Anthony came to Syracuse has a highly recruited player, and made an immediate impact scoring 27+ points in his first three games. There were times early in the season he struggled to get the team flow working, where it was apparent his teammates were waiting for him to make all the big plays. However, as the season progressed, Anthony's team player skills became apparent, and the team started to gel as a cohesive unit. Though he was not the point guard, the offense often flowed through Anthony.​

Anthony scored 30 points against Georgetown in March, and in what would be his last home court appearance, another 30 points against Rutgers. In the NCAA tournament, Anthony was solid in the first four rounds, though heroics were required from several Orangemen for the team to advance. In the Final Four however, he raised his game to another level. Against Texas, Anthony lead all scorers with a career high 33 points, giving the Orangemen a 95-84 victory.

In the NCAA Finals, Anthony played a strong first half, both scoring and rebounding. Kansas would focus on him in the second half, reducing his scoring effort, but he contributed by pulling down more rebounds and providing several key assists. The Orangemen would win the National Championshipand Anthony would be the tournament's MVP.

In his only year at Syracuse, Melo would lead Orangemen in scoring and rebounding, was on the Big East First team, Big East Rookie of the Year, and was a first team All-American. He was the 3rd pick in the draft, selected by the Denver Nuggets, and improved that team from the worst team in the league to a playoff team in his first season.

By the end of his third season in the NBA, Anthony had developed the reputation as being the best clutch shooter in the league. He spent 6 1/2 years with the Nuggets, 5 1/2 with the Knicks, one year with Oklahoma City, a year with Houston, two with Portland and is now with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Anthony would lead the NBA in scoring average for the 2012-2013 season with a 28.7 ppg average.

Anthony played on the United States Olympic team four times, and would be the most decorated all-time male Olympic basketball player. He won a bronze medal in Athens in 2004, on a team he was a small contributor on. He was a significant contributor in Beijing in 2008 as part of the gold medal winning 'redeem team'. He would win his second gold medal in London in 2012, and his Olympic basketball record third gold medal in Rio in 2016. Melo would end his Olympic career holding the U.S. record for most wins, games, points and rebounds in his career.

In 2007, Anthony donated $3 million dollars to the Syracuse athletic department to build a new basketball practice facility. In September of 2009, the Carmelo K. Anthony Basketball Center was opened on campus.
On October 24, Anthony put up 28 points in a 121–118 win over the Memphis Grizzlies and moved past Moses Malone into the 9th place on the NBA all-time career scoring list.​

Anthony has played in the Olympics for the US National Team a record four times, winning a bronze medal with the2004 squad and gold medals on the 2008, 2012, and2016 Olympic Teams. As of April 2016, he was the US Olympic team's all-time leader in points, rebounds, and games played.

• 10× NBA All Star (2007, 2008, 2010–2017)
• 2× All-NBA Second Team (2010, 2013)
• 4× All-NBA Third Team (2006, 2007, 2009,2012)
• NBA Social Justice Team (2021)
• NBA Scoring Champion(2013)
• NBA All Rookie Team(2004)
• NBA 75th Anniversary Team
• NCAA Champion(2003)
• NCAA Champion Most Outstanding Player (2003)
• Consensus second-team All-American (2003)
• USBWA National Freshman of the Year (2003)
• No. 15 retired by Syracuse university
• 2× USA National Basketball Player of the Year (2006, 2016)
• First-team Parade All American (2002)
• McDonalds All American (2002)

PTS PPG APG RPG

Hakim Warrick 2073 15.4 1.5 7.6
6' 8" 210 Forward

Hakim Warrick was a tall lanky power forward, the prototypical Jim Boeheim forward. With a tremendous vertical leap, Warrick was one of the best dunkers in Syracuse history. Because of his size and length, he was extremely effective in the zone defense.

Hak's trademark move was his drop step, where he seemingly could cover the entire free throw lane with one step and spin, then finish off the play with a finger roll or a dunk.

Warrick was the Big East Player of the Year his senior season, and made the All-Big East First Team twice.

The highlight of Warrick's career is now the highlight of the Syracuse basketball program's history. With time running out in the 2003 National Championship game, Kansas' Mike Lee had the ball and was all alone in the corner with an open shot at a 3 point basket and a chance to tie the game. Warrick, who had been moved to center defensively for that last play, sprang out of no where and cleanly blocked the shot well out of bounds, securing the first NCAA Tournament Championship for the Orangemen.

Warrick was the 19th pick (1st round) of the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2005 NBA draft. He would be a frequently used reserve player his rookie season. Warrick blossomed his second season and was a frequent starter for the Grizzlies, averaging 12.7 points per game

Arinze Onuaku 1236 9.2 0.5 6.1
6' 9" 225 Center

Arinze Onuaku was a strong burly center for Syracuse University, with a nice short hook shot and a strong defensive presence.

His freshman year, he played in most every game as a backup to Darryl Watkins and Terrence Roberts, typically seeing seven to eight minutes a game. Onuaku was a raw talent his freshman year, with tremendous rebounding skills, and a high shooting percentage due to mostly scoring on dunks.

Onuaku would be a pleasant surprise for the Orange his sophomore season. He showed the ability to be light on his feet despite being a very large player. His field goal shooting was nearly 63% a game, and he became a solid rebounder with several double digit games. Onuaku played very well against some of the best big name players in the country, both offensively and defensively.

Onuaku returned for his junior season after a hard summer workout, a little bit heavier but with a lot more muscle, and less fat. He was looking to make more of an impact on this inside game for Syracuse, and he did. He would set a school record making 66.7% of his field goal attempts.

Onuaku would come back for his senior season with his legs in good shape. He was even more effective on the inside than the previous year, breaking his own record shooting 66.8% from the floor. He and Rick Jackson provided Syracuse an excellent one-two combination inside that helped guide the Orange to a 28-3 regular season. Onuaku's minutes were down as coach Jim Boeheim worked to keep him fresh, and cycled the big men effectively. Onuaku's greatest asset his senior year was his inside defensive play, working very effectively at keeping opposing big men out of the paint.

He would make his NBA debut in 2013 with the New Orleans Pelicans. He would only get into three games with the Pelicans. Later in the year, he was called up by the Cleveland Cavaliers and would play a couple of games there. He would play 6 games for the Minnesota Timberwolves at the end of the 2014-2015 season.


2010-2019 PTS PPG APG RPG
Tyus Battle
6' 5" 225 Guard 1647 16.0 2.1 2.8

Battle came to Syracuse with a reputation for being a strong driver to the basket with an average jump shot. Early in his freshman season he was tentative on the court, and inconsistent with his offensive efforts. However, he was moved into the starting lineup in the seventh game of the season, as coach Jim Boeheim wanted an additional player with offensive skills on the court.

Battle would be the lone returning starter his sophomore season, and was the 'go to' guy on offense. The Orange had little depth at guard, and due to injuries and players leaving the team, he would find himself in the position of having to play virtually every minute of every game as the season progressed; as a result, he would lead the nation in minutes played per game.

Battle would demonstrate a strong ability to drive to the hoop, and to beat a defender one-on-one. His perimeter shooting would start to struggle as the season progressed, but he still was counted on to make the big shots towards the end of the game, and he often delivered. Battle would score a career high 37 points in a double overtime loss to Florida State. He would later score 34 points in a win over Wake Forest. Battle was instrumental in the Orange's upset over Michigan State in the NCAA tournament. Syracuse point guard Frank Howard fouled out with over six minutes to go in the game, so coach Boeheim put the control of the offense in Battle's hands. The Orange would come from behind and win the game.

Battle surprised many and came back to Syracuse for his junior season. He would continue to be the 'go to' guy on Syracuse's offense, and the team often ran isolation plays for him on offense. Frank Howard struggled all season long, and Battle would assume the point guard role for portions of many games, particularly later in the season. Battles efficiency improved his junior year, and he was highly accurate with the drop back mid-range jump shot. He did struggle with his three point shooting most of the season.

Battle led the Orange to an upset over #1 ranked Duke at Cameron Arena in January. He scored 32 points as the heavyunderdog Orange upset the Blue Devils in overtime. A couple weeks later he would score 31 in a win over Boston College. Battle injured his back in a tumble in the Clemson game, and as a result was unable to play in the two ACC tournament games. He was able to return for the NCAA game against Baylor, though that did not help the Orange.​

Tyler Ennis
6' 2" 180 Guard 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.

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. Ennis would play in the NBA four years then play for the Turkish league.


Wes Johnson 577 16.5 2.2 8.5
6' 7" 198 Forward

Wesley Johnson played forward at Syracuse University for one season. He was an extremely athletic player with amazing leaping ability, combined with an excellent jump shot and rebounding instincts. Johnson was a crowd pleaser with an ever present contagious smile, and a quiet nature. He was a decent defender, with the only knock on his game being that he was not very adept putting the ball down and driving to the hoop.

Johnson would have to red shirt a year at Syracuse after transferring. Coach Jim Boeheim was touting that Johnson was an outstanding player, and everyone would be surprised how good he was when he would be eligible to play. However most ignored Boeheim's comments as typical coach hype. How wrong they would be.

Johnson's junior season would mirror the team; nobody gave any of them any recognition prior to the season. It would not take the nation long to realize how good Johnson was. Syracuse played in the preseason NIT tournament, and Johnson would be the tournament MVP with outstanding efforts against ranked California and North Carolina. Johnson dazzled the tournament with a superb combination of high flying rebounds and dunks, mixed with excellent mid range and three point shooting.

Johnson's success would carry over into the Big East season, and he was quickly gaining recognition as one of the top players in the country. This despite the fact that Johnson was one of the most unselfish players in Syracuse history. He never demanded the ball, and averaged less than 12 shots a game, despite being one of the best. He would hurt his thumb in the Providence game on February 2nd, an injury that did not seem significant at the time. However, his hand would swell up, and while he did not miss any games, his ability to hold the ball was hampered. His shooting and rebounding would slip, and while still performing at a very high level, he was not able to be as dominating.

Johnson's hand would heal by the end of the regular season, and he started to regain his touch. He would lead the Orange in scoring in all four post season games, including a career high 31 points against Gonzaga in the second round of the NCAA. In only 31 minutes of play, he would hit 11 of 16 shots, including four of six from three point range, and add 14 points as the Orange would easily beat the Zags.

Johnson would be named the Big East Player of the Year, beating out Villanova's Scottie Reynolds, and to the All Big East First Team. He would also be named to the AP and USBWA First team All America teams.

It was not a surprise that Johnson declared early entry to the NBA draft following the season. He was already 23 years old (because of his prep school and transfer), and was already recognized as one of the top players in the country. He was drafted in the 1st round of the 2010 NBA Draft with the 4th overall pick by the Minnesota Timberwolves. He played in the league for nine seasons.


Rakeem Christmas
6' 9" 222

Rakeem Christmas was a power forward and center for Syracuse basketball. He was a very athletic player who developed into an outstanding college center by his senior year.

Christmas was a McDonald's All-American in high school and came to Syracuse with high expectations. He began his freshman season as the power forward in the starting lineup, replacing Rick Jackson, who had graduated the year before. This was no small feat as Jackson was the Big East Defensive Player of the Year. Christmas would struggle early in the year with trying to adapt to the nuances of his defensive responsibilities in the zone, and in adjusting to rebounding in college. Unfortunately for Christmas, coach Jim Boeheim had one of his deepest benches ever, and this gave Boeheim plenty of players to substitute for Christmas when he struggled. As they year progressed, Christmas would see less and less playing time, often playing just the first few minutes of a game, and then sitting for the remainder. His role would increase in the post season when Fab Melo was suspended by the team. Christmas' best game of the year was against Kansas State in the second round of the NCAA tournament, when he pulled down 11 rebounds and played some solid defense.​

Christmas improved his sophomore year but not quite up to fans expectations. He averaged a little over 20 minutes a game, despite starting every game of the season. His defensive game had improved, but offensively he still struggled. He moved defensively to the center position when Dajuan Coleman was out for injury, and would remain the starting center for the rest of the season.

There were again expectations that Christmas would step up his junior season, and help with an inside scoring presence. However, early in the season he was still drawing Boeheim's wrath, and was often failing to play more than 20 minutes in a game. Christmas was an efficient scorer inside, but he was not aggressive, and often still an offensive liability. Christmas' natural position was forward, but when Coleman again went down with a season ending injury, Christmas moved to the center position.

Injuries later in the season to Jerami Grant's back forced Christmas into even more playing time, and he did have some outstanding efforts in big games. In the first ACC game against Duke, Christmas had 10 rebounds and 6 blocked shots in the overtime win. He helped frustrate the Duke front line, and forced them into foul trouble.

Christmas' biggest game was against North Carolina State. He would steal the Wolfpack's inbound pass with under ten seconds to go and feed the ball to C.J.Fair who would lay it in for the Orange's 56-55 victory, and school record 25th in a row. Christmas would have a season high 14 points, 12 rebounds and 7 blocks as he made his presence felt all game long.

Christmas would make a significant jump his senior year, going from being an underachieving starter to being an All American. Christmas would emerge as a tremendous offensive threat along with being a strong defensive presence. Offensively he had developed a beautiful hook shot. He was frequently double teamed, occasionally triple teamed, and yet he found ways to spin past a defender for a layup or get open for his hook shot. He would score a career high 35 points against Wake Forest, leading the Orange to a 86-83 overtime win. Once Chris McCollough tore his ACL, and DAjuan Coleman was medically unable to play for the season, Syracuse had no back up center to Christmas. Christmas would often get in foul trouble late in games, and he had to play smart to stay on the court. Even then, he still fouled out of five games, as the time took its toll.

Christmas' best game of the season may have been his effort when the Orange upset #12 Louisville at the Carrier Dome. He would score 29 points, hitting 9 of 10 field goal attempts and making 11 of 13 free throws. He also added four blocked shots and pulled down 8 rebounds.

Christmas earned several accolades after the season. He was named the ACC's Most Improved Player, and was named to the ACC First Team. He was a Third Team AP All American and Third Team Sporting News All American

Christmas would be drafted in the 2nd round of the 2015 NBA draft with the 36th overall pick by the Minnesota Timberwolves. He was then immediately traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers, and then a month later traded to the Indiana Pacers. He would make his NBA debut in the last game of the 2015-2016 season playing six minutes. He played in the NBA for two years then Turkey and New Zealand.

Dion Waiters 690 9.7 2.0 1.9
6' 4" 215

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.

Waiters played in the NBA for 10 years and won a championship in 2020 beating the Heat in six games.


2020 - 2029 TBD​

 

[Dick_in_MI]

I love how this thread completely deviated from the original question. You old heads will bring old cuse history into everything

You might want to check out Bill SU's great post above. That is some great history.

I was going to mention the 1975 regional final where KSU led by 2 with a mere 5 seconds to go, Williams speeds upcourt, passes to Hackett, Rudy juggles the ball for a second but tosses it in, the game goes to OT, SU wins and we go to our first Final Four.

I was going to mention that...but nah.

 

[PASyrFan]

The best I have seen/grew up with was Billy Owens without a doubt. Just a tremendous, special player.

I’m in my mid 60’s & surprised that Billy Owens name wasn’t brought up on more posts. Kid did EVERYTHING well. Many great Syracuse players, but Dave Bing is an NBA HOFer, so I have to put him at the top of the list. I’ve watched SU games since the mid 60’s. I’m sure I’m missing guys, but from what I can remember:
Guards
Bing
DuVal
Pearl
Douglas
GMac
Moten
Hart
Flynn

Forwards
DC
Byrnes
Melo
Wallace
Warrick
Owens
Hackett
Orr

Centers
Seikaly
Smith
Bouie
Thomas
Fab
Rick Jackson
Christmas

 

[the villager]

George Hicker says hello!

 

[IthacaMatt]

for the older fans, you’ve had the chance to watch some of the greatest cuse basketball players ever, whether your in your 30’s or your 90’s.

for the younger fans, i’d says 25 and less, have had the chance to see many great teams in their own respect, but not to the same degree when cuse entered the acc.

so my question is for these older fans what are your 5 favorite players of all time in the last decade?(2010-2020).

rautins?scoop?southerland?cooney?battle?boeheim?triche?fair?gillion?waiters? there’s so many, i’m really interested in what you think.

It's hard not to choose half of the guys from the 2010 team to make your "all decade team". They just played their roles so well, and so unselfishly. Such chemistry!

So, maybe the way to choose a list is by choosing guys from the other teams who MUST be on the list, and then we see how many spots are left for the 2010 guys.

C.J. Fair
Jerami Grant
Rakeem Christmas
Michael Carter-Williams
Tyus Battle
Buddy Boeheim

Tyler Ennis?
Tyler Lydon?
Mike Gbinije?

Now, who else HAS to be on the team, including these 2010 guys:

Andy Rautins
Arinze Onuaku
Dion Waiters
Rick Jackson
Wes Johnson
Brandon Triche
Scoop Jardine

This is the pool of best players from the last decade, in my opinion.

My favorite / Top 5:

C.J. Fair
Andy Rautins
Buddy Boeheim (Edit: delete)
Arinze Onuaku
Dion Waiters

Edit: substitute Brandon Triche for Buddy.
Buddy's last season doesn't count for this list, my mistake.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I’m in my mid 60’s & surprised that Billy Owens name wasn’t brought up on more posts. Kid did EVERYTHING well. Many great Syracuse players, but Dave Bing is an NBA HOFer, so I have to put him at the top of the list. I’ve watched SU games since the mid 60’s. I’m sure I’m missing guys, but from what I can remember:
Guards
Bing
DuVal
Pearl
Douglas
GMac
Moten
Hart
Flynn

Forwards
DC
Byrnes
Melo
Wallace
Warrick
Owens
Hackett
Orr

Centers
Seikaly
Smith
Bouie
Thomas
Fab
Rick Jackson
Christmas

I only remember Bing as a pro for the Bullets. Very elegant player, silently explosive scorer.

 

[PASyrFan]

I only remember Bing as a pro for the Bullets. Very elegant player, silently explosive scorer.

Smooth, silky player. He did play 2 years for Bullets at the end of his career. 9 years in Detroit, 2 in Washington, and his last season in Boston. I didn’t even realize he played for the Celtics.

 

[kuethstheman]

I’m in my mid 60’s & surprised that Billy Owens name wasn’t brought up on more posts. Kid did EVERYTHING well.

He's an all-time great but was never one of my favorites. Probably in part because he was good for one or two really bone-headed plays a game. Odd mistakes, given that he was so good. I would always think something like "I suck at basketball but even I know enough not to dribble high into a double team."

 

[IthacaMatt]

Smooth, silky player. He did play 2 years for Bullets at the end of his career. 9 years in Detroit, 2 in Washington, and his last season in Boston. I didn’t even realize he played for the Celtics.

I do recall that he played for Detroit, and that last season in Boston. But I was a Knick fan back then, and sports were not very widely available on TV when you only had 3 major networks.

The Knicks and the Bullets seemed to play each year in the playoffs. Earl Monroe, I recall, was on a couple of those Bullets teams before he came to the Knicks.

Bing was the kind of guy who just blended in, and then at the end of the game he had scored over 20 points.

As I look back at the career stats, I do see that I must have been watching Bing for Detroit, since he didn't come to the Bullets until 1975, after the Knicks' 2nd championship.