Syracuse Basketball: Top 30 Players in School History

Years from now, people may wonder why Tyler Ennis is so low in our rankings. He may be skilled enough to be in the Syracuse Basketball’s top 20 all-time list, but in twenty years, people who didn’t see him will point out that he only played one year and wonder how good he could’ve possibly been. Unfortunate as it may be, going the one and done route is why he fell so low in our rankings.

Ennis was an amazing athlete at Syracuse. No one will ever forget how he led the team and constantly put them on his back. He was a point guard who was unselfish and shared the ball more than he looked for his own shot. He’s one of the best examples out there of someone who was as good a player as he was a teammate.

His numbers didn’t exactly jump off the page in his one season in Orange, averaging 12.9 points, 5.5 assists, and 2.1 steals per game. However, for those who saw him in person, his leadership and ability to pass the ball to the guy who needed it made him invaluable.

In addition, not everything shows up on a box score. Tyler Ennis also had an amazing half-court heave for three that defeated Pittsburgh (in Pittsburgh) at the buzzer, led the Orange to 25-0 start, and was the point guard of the team ranked #1 in the nation for three straight weeks during the 2013-2014 season.

Ennis could have accomplished so much more at Syracuse. Perhaps he could have led the Orange to championships in years to come. Instead, he decided to leave SU and pursue a career in the NBA. The fact that he only played one amazing season in Orange is why he ranks so low, not for lack of skill or talent. He is one of the best Syracuse Basketball players of all-time, but his one season in Orange hinders his ability to have a made a true mark on SU the way he could have.