Syracuse Basketball: Top 30 Players in School History

Dwayne ‘Pearl’ Washington is one of college basketball’s all-time great players. The fact that he sits third on our list goes to show how deep and talented a pool of players Syracuse basketball has had in its history.

In my opinion, it is Pearl who is responsible for making Syracuse Basketball the perennial powerhouse it is today. Boeheim may have been the coach who led Pearl and many others since he was named coach at Syracuse University, but it is Pearl’s success at SU which attracted other elite players to the program and made Syracuse Basketball what it is today.

Coming out of high school, Pearl was a highly recruited player and did not disappoint in his first season. He was known for being an excellent ball-handler, even though his speed was less than ideal. In his freshman year, he averaged 14.4 points, 6.2 assists, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.4 steals, according to Sport-reference.com.

On the way to earning Big East Rookie of the Year honors, Pearl led Syracuse to the Big East Tournament finals against Georgetown. Even though the Orange lost in overtime, it only further proved how important Washington was to the team and how big a star he was becoming. In addition to leading the team to the Conference finals, he also had one of the most memorable shots in Syracuse basketball history.

On January 21st, 1984, Pearl Washington and Syracuse were facing Boston College and it had been a close game all game long. In the final second, BC hit the first free throw to tie the game. Luckily for Syracuse, the Eagles missed the second. Washington would receive the pass after Syracuse rebounded the miss. He would rush a few steps down the court before heaving a half-court shot for the win.  It would go in and Syracuse would win the game. It is, to this day, one of the all-time greatest shots in Syracuse basketball history.

As a sophomore, he really showed off his signature move which was to shake and bake and drive to the basket which almost always resulted in an easy layup or score. He would once again show he was unselfish while also being a good teammate by sharing the basketball constantly. He would average 15.4 points, 6.1 assists, two steals, and 2.9 rebounds per game.

By the time his junior year came around, Pearl had become a Harlem Globetrotter-type legend in how he handled the basketball in transition. If the other team put up a full-court press, Washington would beat it every time. The way he handled the basketball was amazing and fans would turn up in droves to watch him play.

Pearl’s last season was his best season in Orange as he led Syracuse once again to the Big East Tournament finals. The Orange would once again lose, but this time to St John’s by only one point. It would be the only one-point game of Pearl’s career that Syracuse lost. Even though Syracuse lost, he would be named the Tournament’s MVP in honor of his tremendous play as well as his 20 point, 14 assist performance in the Tournament’s championship game.

Pearl would finish his Junior season averaging 17.3 points, 7.8 assists, 2.6 steals, and 2.5 rebounds. He would choose to forgo his senior season though and enter the NBA Draft. Even so, he sits among the best all-time at Syracuse University. Currently, he sits 4th in assists, and 26th in points, according to Orangehoops.org.

Though Washington’s numbers aren’t greater than Sherman Douglas, Pearl set the stage for Douglas and many other future SU players to shine. He helped bring the national spotlight to Syracuse and helped develop Douglas into the legendary player we know he became.

In honor of his contributions to Syracuse Basketball, Pearl Washington’s uniform (31) was retired. Sadly, Pearl Washington passed away after a lengthy battle with cancer in April 2016. Syracuse University honored him in many ways throughout the 2016 season. For these reasons and many more Pearl lives on as one of the most beloved players ever in Syracuse basketball history.