The Sneakers Worn for the 15 Best Performances in Syracuse Basketball History

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1.

dave bing converse chuck taylor all-stars

No. 15 – The Mayor, Dave Bing

The Player: Dave Bing
The Sneaker: Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars
The Date: Fall 1963

While many know Dave Bing as the 70th mayor of Detroit and Hall of Fame guard of Detroit Pistons fame, the decorated gentleman from Washington, D.C. first hit the national stage as the lead guard for the Syracuse Orangemen basketball team. Bing, who would eventually become roommates with soon to be mentioned in further detail future head coach Jim Boeheim, would leave Syracuse as the first consensus All-American since 1926, and was named Syracuse Athlete of the Year.

2.

roosevelt bouie adidas top ten

No. 14 – The Jim Boeheim Era Begins

The Player: Roosevelt Bouie
The Sneaker: adidas Top Ten Hi
The Date: Fall 1976

In 1976, Syracuse head coach Roy Danforth accepted a position to leave upper New York and taking the same position at Tulane in New Orleans. (35 years later, this seems beyond impossible) With the 'Cuse needing a new coach, they looked down on the bench to a young assistant named Jim Boeheim and selected him to lead the way. Boeheim, who now is in his 37th season as head coach, brought up players like Roosevelt Bouie who helped Syracuse appear in four consecutive NCAA tournament appearances.

Oh, and Boeheim is still as cantankerous as ever.

3.

leo rautins nike legend

No. 13 – Syracuse Joins The Big East Conference

The Player: Leo Rautins
The Sneaker: Nike Legend
The Date: June 1979

Syracuse was one of the founding members of the Big East Conference, which was started in 1979. Once in the Big East, Syracuse would go on to win the Big East Tournament in 1981 and out go on to participate in the National Invitational Tournament, finishing as the runner-up. Players like Danny Schayes and Leo Rautins would help Syracuse transcend from the NIT to the NCAA tournament, and by 1983 the Orangemen would begin a new streak of their own.

4.

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No. 12 – Enter The Pearl

The Player: Dwyane "Pearl" Washington
The Sneaker: Nike Dunk
The Date: Fall 1983

In 1983, the #1 high school player in the country hailed from Brownsville in Brooklyn, New York. His name was Dwayne Washington, but everyone called him "Pearl." (Props to Earl Monroe) Pearl Washington would take his talents to Syracuse and for three years the master of "shake and bake" would lead the Orange faithful to three consecutive NCAA tournament appearances.

5.

rony seikaly nike air force 2

No. 11 - It's Rony Seikaly Time, Everybody 

The Player: Rony Seikaly
The Sneaker: Nike Air Force 2
The Date: Fall 1984

The Lebanese big man showed up on the campus of Syracuse as an unknown entity. By the time Rony Seikaly left Syracuse, he'd be known as the the school's all-time leading rebounder, second all-time in blocked shots, and fourth all-time in school scoring. The streak of NCAA tournament appearances would continue with Seikaly manning the paint, and his #4 would be retired into the rafters at the Carrier Dome.

6.

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No. 10 – Syracuse's First #1 Pick, Derrick Coleman

The Player: Derrick Coleman
The Sneaker: Nike Dunk
The Date: June 27, 1990

There have been few players who earned as much hype as Derrick Coleman did while at Syracuse. The power forward who was compared to Karl Malone and Charles Barkley, but with three-point range, was drafted #1 overall in the 1990 NBA Draft by the New Jersey Nets. Unfortunately for Coleman, he'd never quite capitalize on his perceived talent in the NBA, but his time at Syracuse was fantastic to watch. His #44 was also retired in the Carrier Dome's rafters, never to be worn again after 2006.

7.

howard triche nike big nike

No. 9 – Out-Smarted In '87

The Player: Howard Triche
The Sneaker: Nike Big Nike
The Date: March 20, 1987

In 1987, the Syracuse Orangemen were on the precipice of winning their first NCAA championship. Up by one point against the Indiana Hoosiers, all Syracuse had to do was get one more stop. Unfortunately, Indiana had one more shot in them, and Howard Triche wasn't able to cover Keith Smart. The rest is history.

8.

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No. 8 – John Wallace Brings Syracuse Back To The Final Four

The Player: John Wallace
The Sneaker: Nike Zoom Apocalypse
The Date: March 30, 1996

John Wallace was one of the first basketball players I can remember seeing play and thinking that I, a husky and semi-athletic 13-year old, could play like him. Sadly, of course, I couldn't. Yet, Wallace's time at Syracuse was a special talent for Jim Boeheim, and in 1996 got the Orangemen back to the Final Four. There, they lost to eventual national champion Kentucky (with 9 eventual NBA players) 76-67. I'll always remember John Wallace, because of what he could do...and what I could not.

9.

jason hart air jordan 11

No. 7 – Four More Consecutive NCAA Tournament Bids 

The Player: Jason Hart
The Sneaker: Air Jordan 11
The Date: Spring 2000

From players like Jason Hart to Etan Thomas, the winning ways kept coming to Syracuse. Four more consecutive NCAA Tournament bids for Jim Boeheim's club was nice, but would a championship ever come to upstate New York?

10.

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No. 6 – 40 Consecutive Winning Seasons

The Player: Dion Waiters
The Sneaker: Nike LeBron 8 Christmas
The Date: 1963 - 2012

From the immortal Dave Bing to the recent sensation that is now current Cleveland Cavaliers standout Dion Waiters, winning at Syracuse has been as consistent as death and taxes. 40 straight seasons with winning records in upstate New York has become a beacon of pride for fans of the Orange.

11.

hakim warrick nike shox supremacy

No. 5 – Syracuse Drops The "Men" and "Women", Becomes Just Orange

The Player: Hakim Warrick
The Sneaker: Nike Shox Supremacy
The Date: Summer 2005

Yes, for many Syracuse fans, losing the "Men" and/or "Women" on the Orange nickname was a big deal. You know what was a bigger deal? Hakim Warrick putting his man-regions in an unsuspecting Kansas defender's face.

12.

gerry mcnamara air jordan dub zero

No. 4 – Gerry McNamara Leads 9-Seed Syracuse To Big East Championship

The Player: Gerry McNamara
The Sneaker: Air Jordan Dub Zero
The Date: March 11, 2006

Syracuse wasn't going to make the 2006 NCAA tournament unless they made a strong run in the Big East championship. Okay, that's understating it, they needed to win the whole friggin' thing. Up stepped Gerry McNamara, and what did he and Syracuse do? They won the whole friggin' thing.

13.

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No. 3 – Syracuse Wins In SIX Overtime Periods

The Player: Eric Devendorf
The Sneaker: Nike Hyperdunk PE
The Date: March 12, 2009

We've never seen a game quite like Connecticut vs. Syracuse, as they met in the 2009 Big East tournament. We saw Connecticut's two guards (Kemba Walker and Craig Austrie) shoot a combined 6-31 from the field, we saw Syracuse lose four players due to fouling out and we saw 248 points scored in a whirlwind affair. Syracuse won 128-118, but I imagine every player involved is still tired to this day by just thinking about it.

14.

carmelo anthony air jordan 3

No. 2 – Syracuse Signs McDonald's All-American Carmelo Anthony

The Player: Carmelo Anthony
The Sneaker: Air Jordan 3
The Date: Spring 2002

Not since the days of Pearl Washington had Syracuse signed as high profile of a player out of high school as Carmelo Anthony. The New York born, Baltimore raised baller for Oak Hill Academy signed on to play ball at Syracuse, and many thought his journey would be one and done...but would it end with a title?

15.

carmelo anthony nike shox supremacy

No. 1 – Carmelo Anthony Brings A National Title To Syracuse

The Player: Carmelo Anthony
The Sneaker: Nike Shox Supremacy
The Date: April 7, 2003

Welp, I guess Melo brought that title to Syracuse, eh?

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