I have enjoyed watching Syracuse play basketball for a long time. I have seen a lot of great players play for the Orangemen and have greatly enjoyed watching all of them play.4 years ago today he passed.
A magician with the ball.
I have enjoyed watching Syracuse play basketball for a long time. I have seen a lot of great players play for the Orangemen and have greatly enjoyed watching all of them play.
But there is no player in my lifetime that I have enjoyed watching play more than Pearl Washington. His ability to break ankles, find weaknesses in defenses and make great plays was amazing. He did it without great athletic ability and he did it with an infectious joy that you can only see with a genius at work in his chosen media.
There will be many more future greats playing basketball for Syracuse but there will never be another Pearl Washington. RIP #31!
Wasnt alive when he played here but he was good friends with my father and when I started hoopin I just loved spending time with him. Then Pearl had me play for him at Mcchesney for 2 years and it was like having God as your coach. I learned more about the game in those 2 years all BC of him. I was so little that he spent hours with me perfecting his crossover. Will never forget those lessons. The gym used to be packed to see Pearl...
How little of an ego must you have to donate your time to coach a parks and recs team to help young kids like myself get better. One of the best college players ever teaching us every single night, buying jerseys, everything. It was a special time in my life and so glad to have known him the way I did. Truly miss him and just overall the nicest person in the world that genuinely cared about you and let you know it...
In one of the responses was this really cool picture that I've never seen before:
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Funny part: MJ wearing Converse!