Gerry McNamara may very well turn the Syracuse basketball program around, but he'll have to rebuild the roster first.
New Syracuse men's basketball coach Gerry McNamara may very well rebuild the program, but he will have to rebuild the roster first.
Earlier this week, two role players entered the transfer portal with the obvious intention of leaving the program. Then, things got a little tougher on Friday when sharpshooting rising junior Tyler Betsey announced he was entering the portal.
And things got tougher still on Saturday as rising senior point guard Naithan George put his name in the portal as well.
As always, simply entering the portal doesn't mean a player is going to leave, but it's highly likely that all of these players will.
About George
A soon-to-be senior from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, George played his first two seasons at Georgia Tech before starting all 32 games for the Orange.
On the whole, his numbers were solid: He averaged 10.9 points and 5.4 assists per game. He also had big games, scoring 20 points or more three times, but his play was inconsistent. He also averaged 3.1 turnovers per game and shot just 29.3 percent from three-point range.
Syracuse Orange guard Naithan George (11) dribbles during the second half against the North Carolina Tar Heels at the JMA Wireless Dome. Rich Barnes-Imagn ImagesHow this impacts the Syracuse roster
At this time, Syracuse is relatively solid on the wings, but there are questions everywhere else.
Senior William Kyle III is set to graduate, opening up a spot in the interior, and George and JJ Starling (graduation) mean that two more starters are gone.
Nate Kingz is working to gain a sixth-year of eligibility, but there's no guarantee he gets it. Donnie Freeman could explore the portal - or the NBA - meaning that it's possible that all five starters from this past season are gone next year.
As for the wings, Kiyan Anthony and Sadiq White Jr. are slated to return, as of now. It's also widely expected that Syracuse will bring in Siena transfer Gavin Doty, who played for McNamara with the Saints.
Also on campus
-The third-ranked Syracuse men's lacrosse team will head to Chapel Hill to face off against the second-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels. The Orange finished the month of March undefeated and now stand at 9-2 on the season. Face-off is set for 2 p.m. ET on Saturday.
-Syracuse women's lacrosse will also be on the road as they take on the 17th-ranked Duke Blue Devils. The No. 3 Orange hold a 10-3 record and are riding a 10-game winning streak. Face-off is set for 4 p.m. ET.
-The Syracuse football team has added a new transfer, bringing in an offensive lineman from Houston.
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