Retire Stephen Thompson's Number

[stone567]

I was a student at SU for Stephen Thompson's first three years at SU. He was always one of my favorite SU players, but until I read a recent book on the legends of Syracuse, I forgotten how dominant a player he was. He was an absolute stopper on defense. He was the third option after Sherm and Coleman, and he still walked out of SU as one of the leading scorers (he is #7 today). That is even more impressive considering he unselfishly gave up his natural position in his senior year to play point guard. Stevie and Sherm were one of the top alley-oop teams in college basketball history. And to boot, he was a great student.

Now that Moten and Wallace have had their numbers retired, and before we begin to address the post 2000 players, it is time to retire Stephen Thompson's number. I know it will be tough to get him to the Dome because he is a coach on the west coast, but the discussion needs to start!!!!

#32 to the rafters (and while they are at it, #31 needs to be back on the court where Pearl hit the famous BC shot)

 

[Orange87]

I agree with every bit of this post.

#32 deserves it!

 

[RF2044]

My heart says "yes."

My head says "maybe" - feels like he's borderline.

But LOVE Stevie!

Ah, what the hell -- since we retire jerseys not numbers anyway, lets loft him up into the rafters where he belongs [and spent so much time during his time on the hill, with him incredible hops].

 

[donniesyracuse]

I love Thompson, but it is hard to make a case for him when he was never better than the third best player on his teams. I recognize how unfair that is when you consider with whom he was playing.

The switch to point guard thing is overrated since that experiment failed and he didn't play the point much once the season got going.

 

[FRANKIEFAN]

Anymore kids after Stevie Jr and Ethan (who will be a SR this year.)

 

[Cusefan0307]

Hakim Warrick should and will be next.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I was a student at SU for Stephen Thompson's first three years at SU. He was always one of my favorite SU players, but until I read a recent book on the legends of Syracuse, I forgotten how dominant a player he was. He was an absolute stopper on defense. He was the third option after Sherm and Coleman, and he still walked out of SU as one of the leading scorers (he is #7 today). That is even more impressive considering he unselfishly gave up his natural position in his senior year to play point guard. Stevie and Sherm were one of the top alley-oop teams in college basketball history. And to boot, he was a great student.

Now that Moten and Wallace have had their numbers retired, and before we begin to address the post 2000 players, it is time to retire Stephen Thompson's number. I know it will be tough to get him to the Dome because he is a coach on the west coast, but the discussion needs to start!!!!

#32 to the rafters (and while they are at it, #31 needs to be back on the court where Pearl hit the famous BC shot)

Have we done Billy Owens yet?

 

[Cusefan0307]

Have we done Billy Owens yet?

12 years ago.

 

[orange79]

Here's the list of retired Jerseys:

4: Rony Seikaly (January 13, 2007)
8: Vic Hanson (December 19, 1981)
15: Carmelo Anthony (February 23, 2013)
17: Billy Gabor(March 1, 2009)
19: Wilmeth Sidat-Singh (February 26, 2005)
20: Sherman Douglas (March 9, 2003)
21: Lawrence Moten (March 3, 2018)
22: Dave Bing (December 19, 1981
22: Dennis DuVal (January 6, 2018)
30: Billy Owens (March 8, 2008)
31: Dwayne "Pearl" Washington (March 2, 1996)
44: Derrick Coleman (March 6, 2006)
44: John Wallace (February 29, 2020)
50: Roosevelt Bouie (February 21, 2015)
55: Louis Orr (February 21, 2015)

 

[SUGIANT]

I vote for Otis Hill personally.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

MOOKIE !!

 

[SUGIANT]

No one votes for Todd Burgan?

 

[OrangeDW]

Warrick and GMac gotta be coming up soon.

With the college b-ball landscape changing so much though, we may not have a ton of jerseys going up there in the future? Most of the best talents leave before they really accomplish enough(MCW, Waiters, Ennis, Grant, Richardson etc.) to go up there, and the guys that are here for 4 years now are usually “good” but not “great” players.

I say all this to say, Stevie could go up there as we go back and put a few more older ones up there. IMO, Etan Thomas and Dave Johnson deserve strong consideration too.

 

[dasher]

Look, this isn't close. Rudy Hackett has to be the next player jersey retired. He was fantastic. Look up his stats. He led us to our first final four. And here are his stats. Soph season 12.1 pts per game and 9.7 rebounds a game. Jr Year 16.8 pts per game and 11.7 rebounds a game And sr year 22.2 pts per game and 12.7 rebounds a game. It is a disgrace that his jersey hasn't been honored. And the only reason is that he didn't play for head coach JB instead of ass't coach JB.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Look, this isn't close. Rudy Hackett has to be the next player jersey retired. He was fantastic. Look up his stats. He led us to our first final four.

Based on his stats I can't argue. And based on his age they need to do it now. The question is why haven't they done it already?

 

[dasher]

Based on his stats I can't argue. And based on his age they need to do it now. The question is why haven't they done it already?

because he played for Roy Danforth. It's not that JB or anyone else is mean. It's just that the guys before JB seem to be forgotten.

 

[orange79]

Crazy Cliff Warwell or bust!

Seriously, the following deserve consideration IMO (in no particular order):

Hakim Warrick
Leo Rautins
Jimmy Lee
Rudy Hackett
Stevie Thompson
Jason Hart
Marty Byrnes
Danny Schayes
Preston Shumpert
Red Autry
Demitris Nichols
Dale Shackleford
Todd Burgan

I'm sure there are many more, but these were off the top of my head.

 

[OrangeDW]

Look, this isn't close. Rudy Hackett has to be the next player jersey retired. He was fantastic. Look up his stats. He led us to our first final four. And here are his stats. Soph season 12.1 pts per game and 9.7 rebounds a game. Jr Year 16.8 pts per game and 11.7 rebounds a game And sr year 22.2 pts per game and 12.7 rebounds a game. It is a disgrace that his jersey hasn't been honored. And the only reason is that he didn't play for head coach JB instead of ass't coach JB.

Jeez. Yeah, that would seem like an obvious one.

 

[Cusefan0307]

because he played for Roy Danforth. It's not that JB or anyone else is mean. It's just that the guys before JB seem to be forgotten.

He was an assistant though. You would think he would appreciate his value to the program.

 

[SUGIANT]

because he played for Roy Danforth. It's not that JB or anyone else is mean. It's just that the guys before JB seem to be forgotten.

5 of 15 seems pretty good to me. I don’t think they’re forgotten. I for Rudy Hackett.

 

[dasher]

5 of 15 seems pretty good to me. I don’t think they’re forgotten. I for Rudy Hackett.

what has it been lately? Explain how Rudy hasn't been honored yet?

 

[orangepassion]

I always thought J.B. Reafsnyder was underrated.

 

[OrangeDW]

Speaking of Stevie, check out this classic that Coleman posted today.

 

[Eric15]

No one votes for Todd Burgan?

Burgan had a nice career, but he's not at that level.

 

[sufandu]

Stevie needs to be soon. I don't care that he was never better than the third option. That speaks more to how loaded those teams were than anything else.