Revisiting Gerry McNamara’s playing career at Syracuse: What to know about 2003 national title team as a player

Revisiting Gerry McNamara’s playing career at Syracuse: What to know about 2003 national title team as a player originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Syracuse has been missing from the NCAA Tournament far longer than fans in upstate New York would like, but the Orange had one representative in 2026: Siena coach Gerry McNamara.

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While McNamara isn’t in orange and blue any longer, he left unforgettable memories for Syracuse fans when he helped lead the Orange to a national championship alongside Carmelo Anthony in 2003.

McNamara is now aiming to turn Siena into one of the northeast’s top mid-majors, and a run to the NCAA Tournament is a major step toward that goal.

Here’s a look at McNamara’s playing career at Syracuse and the 2003 championship team.

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Where did Gerry McNamara go to college?

Born and raised in Scranton, Pennsylvania, McNamara spent his playing days at Syracuse from 2002-06.

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After briefly playing professionally overseas, McNamara returned to upstate New York in a coaching role. He spent two seasons as a graduate assistant under Jim Boeheim before becoming a full-time assistant in 2011 and remaining in that role until he was bumped to associate head coach following Boeheim’s retirement in 2023.

McNamara’s hiring at Siena in 2024 marked his first association with a university other than Syracuse.

Gerry McNamara playing career

McNamara didn’t miss a start in four seasons at Syracuse, averaging more than 13 points per game each year and helping lead the Orange to a national championship as a freshman in 2003.

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McNamara certainly wasn’t the only standout freshman on the 2003 team, as Carmelo Anthony averaged 22.2 points per game and earned Second-Team All-American honors, but he assumed his role as Syracuse’s point guard and shot 35.7 percent from 3-point range at a time when the 3-point shot…

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Publish date : 2026-03-19 06:20:00

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