Syracuse Basketball: Top 50 Players in School History (45-41)

Every Sunday, Inside the Loud House will release the Top 50 Players they believe are the best in Syracuse Basketball History. This week we continue the countdown with #45.

Our bottom five of our Top-50 players in Syracuse basketball history was released last week. It was met with a lot of controversy from the fans, and we expected that. If you missed last week’s edition of this list, you can check it out here:

• Syracuse Basketball: Top 50 Players of All-Time (50-46)

This list wasn’t made to offend, it was made to create a conversation and to reflect. This next five has a mix of older players and modern players.

When people ask me what was the hardest part about putting this list together, my answer is simple. It was the constant struggle of making sure both eras were represented.

Walking into this we knew that if we put too many modern players that we saw with our own eyes we’d get bashed by the Generation X population. While on the flip side, if you don’t get the modern players in there, no one will really know the players from this millennial generation.

Anyways, without further ado let’s look at the next player in countdown starting with #45.

Rick Jackson #45:

Power Forward/Center: 2007-2011

You don’t see many players who stick around throughout the whole process anymore, which makes you appreciate the players that do (and did). Like a fine wine, Rick Jackson got better with age.

His freshman year, Jackson was nothing more than an afterthought contributing to the efforts sparingly; although he appeared in every one of SU’s 35 games. In just a years time though, he was elevated to the starting lineup and you could see the development: especially on the defensive end.

While SU has churned out a record number of first round talent from their ranks, they’ve also done a phenomenal job of getting out NBA talent, regardless of which channel. Jackson increased not only his own stock, but his name recognition in his final season with the Orange.

Jackson, in his final season in Orange, was named the Big East Defensive Player of the Year. In case you didn’t know, that award has only been bestowed on an Orange player four times in history (Etan Thomas won it twice in the late 1990’s-early 2000’s) plus Rick Jackson and Fab Melo received the honor in back-to-back years.

Erich Santifer #44:

Guard/Forward: 1979-1983

Some of the more modern fans may not recognize this name, but Erich Santifer was a pivotal piece back in the day. Everyone remembers the big name Leo Rautins who was on the team, but Santifer made his money on the baseline.

Unfortunately, Santifer will never get the credit he deserves, and ironically his placement on this list is underrated/undervalued. Despite the lack of attention he received, he was a player that was the glue of his team.

He primarily played at shooting guard and utilized his scoring prowess to finish as the second All-Time leading scorer with the Orange. He has since been passed by several players, but his name will forever live on in Syracuse Basketball lore.

While he was drafted by the Detroit Pistons, he never played a minute in the NBA. In my opinion, that just makes his time in the Orange all the more valuable.

#43: Arinze Onuaku

Center: 2005-2010

I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Arinze Onuaku several times due to his work at ESPN Radio in Syracuse. My favorite moment of his was when he smashed the backboard (highlighted above). To me, it was reminiscent of Shaq smashing the glass.

During his tenure, SU had some really good chances of doubling Jim Boeheim’s National Championship collection. Which leads me to open up Pandora’s box here.

Every time I look back at Onuaku’s SU career, it’ll always be a game of what could have been for the big man. I say that because his injuries in college really derailed his potential and SU’s chances to dream big: Championship big. In my mind, I think if he doesn’t get injured during that Big East tournament game against Georgetown in 2010, then maybe, just maybe, Syracuse Basketball could have gone all the way.

Finding a place for Onuaku on this list was hard. The fact that he landed here is a testament to how hard it is to balance players you have seen versus those you haven’t. I think Onuaku should/could/would be much higher, but he just ended up right here. I challenge the reader to try and make up their own top-50 and try to go through the process of eliminating certain guys and who goes where. It’s tougher than it looks.

#42: Danny Schayes

Center: 1977-1981

For these last two selections, we’re going to have the obvious issue of a 23-year old, soon to be 24-year old being responsible for putting this list together. Due to my age restrictions, I haven’t seen a certain plethora of talent on this list.

Which forces me to look through a prism when looking at guys like Danny Schayes. In my particular case though, I have a unique prism to look at him because I know him personally.

My day job I work at ESPN Radio in Syracuse and we have him on all the time, on the phone, and in person. He’s a hulking stack of a man at 6’11, while his collegiate stats may appear marginal:

"Played in 117 games for Syracuse, averaging 8.2 points and 5.4 rebounds along the way. As a senior, those averages ballooned to 14.6 and 8.4, per Syracuse.com."

The more impressive nugget is his professional career in the NBA. Only 12 players in NBA history have played longer (18 seasons in the league), than he has. Nearly all of them are either Hall of Famers, or future ones. He developed a niche in the league and was a mean, tough, dude willing to do all the dirty work.

In his case, he only fell because his SU career was just sort of average. The fact that he played as long as he did in the NBA though moves him up a few spots from the bottom of this list in my book.

#41: Malachi Richardson

Guard: 2015-2016

This will be the modern player debate: where can you place these one-and-done players? How can you compare a four-year starter to a player who barely went through puberty?

Well that’s the challenge we’ve accepted here at ITLH, so lets attempt to do so. Unequivocally, Richardson had the potential to be a Top-25 player easily with his swagger, NBA level step-back jumper, and his overall scoring prowess.

Unfortunately, the scent of the NBA was too great to pass up for Richardson. The former McDonald’s All-American had all the tools to deliver Syracuse basketball another National Championship.

We asked this question months ago about Tyler Lydon. The decision to leave for the NBA comes down to whether you’re a first round pick. Richardson was a first round selection last year, so he obviously made the correct decision for him. It’s hard to place him much higher than this considering his short tenure, although he’ll forever live in infamy for his 2015-16 Final Four run.

Next: Syracuse Basketball: Top 50 Players of All-Time (50-46)

Agree or disagree with us? Think anyone should be higher or lower so far? Let us know what you think in the comments. Also, be sure to check out our Facebook page and Twitter page for all your up to date Syracuse Athletic news. Be sure to check back in next Sunday as we release our next five players in the countdown. You won’t want to miss it.