The Orange kicked off their summer session on Wednesday, which meant he got to address his team on the court.
The Syracuse University men's basketball team kicked off its summer session of practice on Wednesday, which meant that new head coach Gerry McNamara got to address his team on the floor for the first time.
And Syracuse fans got a look at McNamara's first message via a video that the program posted on "X."
You can listen to it below, but let's break down the basics of what he had to say to his team.
He's going to push this group
McNamara said that his coaching staff is going to push this team because they believe that this group can do what he envisions for them.
That might seem hard to believe for a Syracuse fanbase that has seen its team miss the NCAA Tournament for five straight years, but McNamara took a 4-28 Siena program to the tournament in two years, so he knows what it takes to get the job done.
Talk about discipline
In just a 30+ second clip, McNamara stressed the importance of discipline. He understands that every player is excited on the first day of practice, but he said that it takes discipline to be able to bring that same level of energy every single day.
And he's right. Greatness is not something you can achieve by working hard sporadically. You have to be able to focus and be intentional in your preparation every single day.
That's what it will take to turn the Orange from the 15-17 team they were in 2025-26 to the eventual NCAA Tournament team that McNamara wants to be.
Siena Saints head coach Gerry McNamara reacts against the Duke Blue Devils in the first half during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Bob Donnan-Imagn ImagesAlso on the men's basketball front
--Syracuse and Providence officially announced their matchup on Tuesday. The Friars and Orange will take the floor at the TD Garden, the home of the NBA's Boston Celtics, on Dec. 19. That should be right before the start of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) season, which began on Dec. 31 in 2025.
The matchup will be a part of an event dubbed as the "Hall of Fame Series." The event is partnering with the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame to showcase a day of college basketball action. The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame is located in Springfield, Mass., less than 100 miles away from the TD Garden.
UConn and Michigan will play the other game in the series. That will be a national title game rematch.
--McNamara has said he's spoken to UConn head coach Dan Hurley about reigniting the team's Big East rivalry. We discussed why that's not really possible.... yet.
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