Aaron Womack missed the 2025-26 season and he might be sticking around to usher in the Gerry McNamara era.
The Syracuse men's basketball program had its most exciting day in years on Monday, welcoming Gerry McNamara back to town in front of thousands of people at the JMA Wireless Dome.
However, the honeymoon period didn't last long as it appears that one member of the SU roster from this year isn't going to stick around to be a part of McNamara's program.
As noted by Mike Waters of Syracuse.com, guard Aaron Womack intends to enter the transfer portal. Simply entering the portal doesn't mean that Womack is guaranteed to leave, but if he's entered, there's certainly a good chance that he actually does.
A former three-star recruit by 24/7 Sports, Womack hails from Milwaukee, Wisc. A 6-6 guard, he would have represented an intriguing wing option for McNamara, however it's understandable why he'd want to move on.
First off, Syracuse is set to have senior Naithan George return at the point guard spot. Guard Nate Kingz could also return, further complicating issues for Womack. Sophomore Kiyan Anthony will be back in the program, as will junior sharpshooter Tyler Betsey. Both are also wing-dominant players.
Finally, it's widely expected that McNamara will bring in Siena transfer Gavin Doty, who was an All-MAAC selection this past season. He's also 6-5, which would render Womack with very few pathways to consistent playing time, or at least with significant roadblocks on his way to it.
With four years of eligibility in front of him after redshirting this season, there will undoubtedly be takers for him in the portal if he ultimately decides to leave.
Dominican forward Aaron Womack III poses with family members after being honored for reaching the 2,000-point plateau. The ceremony came before a game against The Prairie School on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, at Dominican High School in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin.Also in the news for the Orange
The Syracuse football program delivered bad news on Tuesday, with head coach Fran Brown saying that five-star recruit Calvin Russell III suffered an injury at spring practice. He didn't say what the injury does, but he did say that Russell will miss an "indefinite" period of time.
One of the top wide receivers in the country, Russell was expected to help remake the Syracuse offense. Now, it's unclear if he'll be able to play at all, though until there's more details, any speculation is just reckless.
Russell is also a member of the men's basketball program. He enrolled in Syracuse early, playing with the program for the second semester. He got into one game as SU went 15-17 overall.
That record, coupled with missing the NCAA Tournament in each of his three years, is what led to Adrian Autry's firing and McNamara's hiring.
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