After hiring two staffers already this week, McNamara has brought in another on Sunday.
Earlier this week, new Syracuse basketball coach Gerry McNamara reportedly filled out the first two members of his new coaching staff.
On Easter Sunday, McNamara reportedly brought in a third, hiring assistant coach Ben Lee from Siena, where McNamara spent the last two years as head coach.
Kevin Sweeney of Sports Illustrated had that information on social media:
Syracuse HC Gerry McNamara is hiring his former top assistant Ben Lee as an assistant with the Orange, source tells SI.
29-year-old Lee played a huge role in building Siena’s MAAC championship roster and is a rising star in the profession.
About Lee
A Long Island native, Lee spent two years with McNamara at Siena and before that, he was an assistant coach at the University of Washington. At Washington, he worked with former Syracuse player and assistant coach Mike Hopkins, who currently works in the NBA for the New Orleans Pelicans. He actually had two separate stints at Washington.
Lee played his college basketball at Division III Union College in Schenectady, N.Y.
Siena won the MAAC Tournament title this year, earning a No. 16 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Siena led No. 1 Duke by double-digits in the second half before ultimately falling.
When McNamara hired Lee at Siena, he said "I’m thrilled to have Ben Lee join our program. He brings an incredible energy and relentless work ethic. His ability to recruit, develop, and connect with the guys he works with is high-level!”
About Syracuse right now
As McNamara gets to work on the coaching staff, he also needs to get to work on building the roster. The Orange have already seen four players enter the transfer portal, which doesn't even open until Tuesday following Monday's title game between UConn and Michigan.
Tyler Betsey and Naithan George were expected to see big minutes next season if they returned, but it appears they will not.
Between graduations and transfers, it's possible that McNamara has to remake the entire starting five off this years roster. Syracuse went 15-17 and missed the NCAA Tournament for the fifth consecutive campaign. They were under .500 for the second straight.
Also on campus
--The Syracuse football team has added a new transfer, bringing in an offensive lineman from Houston.
--The No. 3 Syracuse men's lacrosse team suffered a tough 14-9 loss on Saturday afternoon at No. 2 North Carolina. The Orange will be home again on Saturday against Virginia. That will be part of a big day on campus, as the football spring game is also Saturday.
--The No. 4 Syracuse women's lacrosse team extended its winning streak to 11 on Saturday with a 10-9 win over No. 17 Duke on the road in Durham, N.C.
Join the Conversation
Remember to join our SYRACUSE on ROUNDTABLE community, which is FREE! You can post your own thoughts, in text or video form, and you can engage with our Roundtable staff, as well as other Orange fans. If prompted to download the Roundtable APP, that's free too!