In our brand new weekly mailbag, we’ll be answering the top questions on Syracuse basketball. First up, where’s Howard Washington?
The 2019-20 Syracuse basketball season is here. With that being said, it’s time to start a brand new tradition here at Inside the Loud House, we’ll be doing a weekly mailbag answering all of your questions on Orange hoops.
Thank you for all the submissions and if you missed out asking a question this time, keep a lookout on social media for our inquiries next week! Enjoy!
Wayne A Wheeler: What’s going on with Howard Washington? I think he deserves a chance to show what he can do, he’s a great transition player!
Paul ‘Boy Green’ Esden:
"I know a lot of fans have been wondering about this, so I’m glad we get to answer this. For those who don’t know, Howard Washington is back 100 percent healthy. He’s been through a lot in the past 18 months that featured heart surgery and a stroke. During one of the exhibition games, Howard Washington’s mother said his lack of playing had nothing to do with his health, which she cited was no longer an issue. From a seniority perspective, he’s been here longer than a bunch of the guys around him, so he should get first dibs right? Wrong. Just because he’s been here the longest, that doesn’t guarantee him anything. Right now Jalen Carey is the starting point guard, Joe Girard III got some run, another freshman Brycen Goodine got some run. Washington is lost on the depth chart and that doesn’t seem like that’s close to changing. At the end of the day, it’s a numbers game and I don’t see how he’ll see any significant playing time this season outside of injury, which is a damn shame, he’s a very good basketball player."
Neil Adler:
"Junior point guard, Howard Washington is probably my favorite guy on the current Syracuse roster. He’s had a lot to deal with, including injuries, as well as suffering a stroke. Washington is an unbelievably likable young man, he’s a terrific pass-first point guard, and I could totally see him coaching one day if he doesn’t pursue a professional basketball career. Even though he doesn’t get a lot of minutes, he’s always enthusiastic and positive on the bench and seems to love to share his wonderful basketball IQ with his teammates. I honestly have no idea why he’s not getting on the court much at all, but he is competing for run with multiple other guards, including sophomore Jalen Carey and freshmen Joe Girard III and Brycen Goodine. My fingers are crossed that Washington receives some minutes moving forward."
Thomas Anthony Wick: Why is Jim Boeheim still our coach? He has overstayed his welcome by 10 years. If you can’t figure out that your team needs to be able to play man-to-man maybe it’s time to head to Florida for the winter.
Paul ‘Boy Green’ Esden:
"Ah yes of course, how could we do a mailbag without the prerequisite question about Jim Boeheim and not using man-to-man. There are a lot of pro-Mike Hopkins people in our audience and I love him, but it wasn’t meant to be. We still have a Hall of Fame coach running this operation and he has an amazing track record of success with multiple Final Fours, Sweet 16 runs, and of course a National Championship. But to your point about man-to-man, Jim actually said throughout the offseason that we could finally see some man defense. We’ve seen exactly zero of that so far this season go figure. Here’s my take, with so many freshmen on this team, it would make sense to use some man situationally. A lot of these high school guys know man defense, the 2-3 zone involves a steep learning curve. Although I’d say after the Virginia game, the Orange defense wasn’t the issue. When you hold a team to 48 points, you should win that game every time. So we’ll have to table the man defensive talk for another day because Boeheim is doing good work."
Neil Adler:
"Thomas, you’re certainly entitled to this kind of opinion about Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim, and there are absolutely other Orange fans out there who think that Boeheim should ride off into the sunset. For me, personally, I believe that Boeheim has earned the right to roam the ‘Cuse sidelines for as long as he likes. Now in his 44th season at the Syracuse helm, Boeheim has never had a losing stanza, he’s produced countless 20-victory terms and NCAA Tournament appearances, and Boeheim has guided the Orange to a national title, along with five Final Fours. It’s reasonable to say that the ‘Cuse has under-performed a tad in its regular seasons since Syracuse moved to the Atlantic Coast Conference back in 2013, however, it’s also fair to say that the NCAA sanctions from a few years ago took a toll on the Orange’s recruiting. Combine that with fuzziness over how long Boeheim would coach, and some key players heading to the pros early, transferring or getting injured, and I actually think that Boeheim and his assistants have done an admirable job from 2013 until now, including a marvelous Final Four run in 2016, and a surprising Sweet 16 journey in 2018. As it pertains to Boeheim playing man to man defense, a huge reason why the ‘Cuse fares well in the Big Dance is due to its zone, and Boeheim has said that he may execute some man to man this year. Stay tuned."
FMS Online Marketing: Do you think Cuse hoops will overachieve this year?
Paul ‘Boy Green’ Esden:
"To be honest, I think it’s inevitable. This team is super young, they don’t have a senior on the roster. The experts say that Syracuse will be nothing more than a middling team on the bubble, those are pretty low expectations for a Jim Boeheim squad. While yes over the last several years that’s exactly what Syracuse has been, there’s a difference. The Orange have entered the last handful of years with high expectations and have fallen flat. When people doubt this team, they step up to the plate, think of the Sweet 16 run a few years ago. Like Boeheim said this offseason, 2019-20 will surprise some people. It’s going to be a more exciting team than years past, despite what you saw vs Virginia."
Neil Adler:
"The Syracuse basketball squad entered the 2019-20 campaign with mild expectations, given that only one starter returned from a year ago, there are no seniors on the current roster, and the present line-up includes five freshmen. Now, the Orange definitely put up a stinker in its season opener versus Virginia at the Carrier Dome last week, but I believe that the ‘Cuse needs some time to gel on both offense and defense before the entirety of Syracuse fans waves the white flag. If the 2-3 zone is solid, and Orange players find a groove on offense by spacing the floor well, knocking down 3-point shots, and generating some paint production, then the ‘Cuse could certainly contend for a 20-conquest stanza and a March Madness invite. That, to me, would prove a fantastic achievement."
Rory Harris: I’d like a listing of future scholarship offers on recruits, and potential recruits Syracuse basketball is pursuing.
Neil Adler:
"You ask, Rory, and you shall receive. In the 2020 class, Syracuse already has commitments from four-star power forward Woody Newton and four-star combo guard Kadary Richmond. Isaiah Jackson, a five-star power forward in the class of 2020 out of Waterford Mott High School in Waterford, Mich., will announce his decision on Saturday, Nov. 16, at 2:30 p.m. Jackson, is down to the Orange, along with Alabama and Kentucky. Given that the ‘Cuse presently has no scholarships available for the 2020 class, my gut tells me that Jackson is going to pick either the Crimson Tide or the Wildcats, but you never really know in the fickle recruiting world until a destination is actually made. As far as the 2021 and 2022 classes, Syracuse has offered a handful of studs in each cycle. Among those in the 2021 class to receive an offer from the Orange are five-star point guard Kennedy Chandler from the Briarcrest Christian School in Eads, Tenn., four-star small forward Quincy Allen from the Maret School in Washington, D.C., four-star center Franck Kepnang out of the Westtown School in West Chester, Pa., four-star center Micawber Etienne with the Suffield Academy in Suffield, Conn., four-star small forward Benny Williams out of the St. Andrew’s Episcopal School in Potomac, Md., and four-star small forward John Camden from Archbishop John Carroll High School in Radnor, Pa. In the 2022 class, the ‘Cuse recently pledged a scholarship to four-star shooting guard Roddy Gayle Jr. with Lewiston-Porter High School in Youngstown, N.Y., and other schollies have gone out to guys such as center Donovan Clingan from Bristol Central High School in Bristol, Conn., five-star combo guard Zion Cruz out of Hudson Catholic Regional High School in Jersey City, N.J., point guard J.J. Starling from Charles W. Baker High School in Baldwinsville, N.Y., five-star point guard Dior Johnson with Fairfax Senior High School in Los Angeles, and four-star shooting guard Chance Westry out of Trinity High School in Camp Hill, Pa."
Jermaine Trotter: How does Syracuse basketball plan on improving on shooting and defense?
Paul ‘Boy Green’ Esden:
"Uhm not playing Virginia every night? lol That seemed to be the sentiment in the locker room after the game and from Jim Boeheim himself in the post-game presser. A lot of the players seemed upset/motivated in the locker room to get back out there and compete. The shooting is going to be better, this team is going to shoot a ton of threes and with all the options on this team, I think they’ll be more successful than not. Buddy Boeheim, JG3, Elijah Hughes, and more will step up to the plate. In terms of the defense, I thought it was overall very solid. Again Virginia was held to 48 points, what more could you have asked for?"
Neil Adler:
"Practice, practice, practice – and time, time, time. With a relatively inexperienced and young roster, Syracuse has work to do for it to begin to come together as a cohesive unit. A lot of uniformed folks out there think that the vaunted 2-3 zone is a lazy person’s defense, but Jim Boeheim’s zone is complex and intricate, so we all have to exercise some patience before getting too frustrated by any defensive struggles. Plus, the Orange only allowed 48 points to the defending national champions, Virginia, on Nov. 6 in Central New York. That’s not too shabby. As far as shooting goes, the ‘Cuse has an abundance of offensive weapons, particularly from beyond the arc and driving to the basket, and the players just have to sort out ball movement, screening, and spacing for everything to gel. Putting the ball in the bucket will also help improve things. Let’s see how Syracuse does against a really good Colgate crew this coming Wednesday on the Hill."
Walt Matthews: Do you see Joe Girard III taking over at point if Jalen Carey is a bust? Will Howard Washington get a chance? Who of the two is more suited to start?
Paul ‘Boy Green’ Esden:
"Thanks for this question Walt, it’s a perfect reason to give a shameless plug to my column from a few days ago (why it’s time for JG3 to be the new point guard which you can read here wink). To some that column I mentioned above seems over-reactionary to just one game, but it goes beyond that. Jalen Carey struggles with senseless turnovers and no one touches the ball more than the point guard, that’s a recipe for disaster. Carey is talented and I don’t think he should be thrown into the pit of misery and be forgotten about. Hopefully, he can get out of this rut he’s in and the good news is he won’t face that stingy Cavaliers defense every week. If Jalen turns the ball over, Jim Boeheim isn’t going to stick with him. Will he turn to a freshman in Joe Girard III? In a one-game sample size, he’s gone with JG3 at the point. That to me is very telling. Howard Washington we answered a bit earlier, but I think he’s talented enough to get some run, I just think he’s suffocating under all the guys ahead of him. Back to Joe Girard for a moment, he has handles, he can shoot from deep and create his own shot. We have to see how he sets up his teammates because if he can do that consistently, he will be the point guard for the Orange."
Neil Adler:
"Walt, this is an awesome question, as the point-guard position is understandably a cause of concern for head coach Jim Boeheim, his assistants, and all Syracuse fans out there. It’s true that sophomore Jalen Carey has proven a bit turnover-prone in his young career, although in the ugly loss to Virginia, Carey and Girard had similar stat lines. If Boeheim thinks that Carey is his best option at this juncture, then I believe he’s got to give Carey some time to display his talents. Carey is extremely fast, and he’s got a knack for getting to the rim. He simply needs more game experience. Girard will get his minutes, as will fellow freshman Brycen Goodine. Frankly, I feel that in some ways, junior Howard Washington may ultimately prove the best option, because he’s a pass-first floor leader, and the Orange has plenty of additional scoring threats, like sophomore guard Buddy Boeheim and redshirt junior forward Elijah Hughes."
John Capozzi: How many former Orangemen have gone on to become NBA All-Stars? And how many for Duke?
Paul ‘Boy Green’ Esden:
*cracks knuckles* a research question ay?
Here’s what the numbers say:
Carmelo Anthony (10-time All-Star)
Dave Bing (7-time All-Star)
Derrick Coleman (1-time All-Star)
Billy Gabor (1-time All-Star)
All in all, I found19 All-Star appearances among Orange players in history.
Here are the results for Duke:
Kyrie Irving (6-time All-Star)
Carlos Boozer (2-time All-Star)
Elton Brand (2-time All-Star)
Luol Deng (2-time All-Star)
Dick Groat (8-time All-Star), he was a two-sport athlete who played at Duke and in MLB, so it still counts!
Grant Hill (7-time All-Star)
Christian Laettner (1-time All-Star)
Jack Marin (2-time All-Star)
Jeff Mullins (3-time All-Star)
All in all, I found 32 All-Star appearances among Duke players in history.
John Foley: How long does it take for Jim Boeheim to make a starting lineup change?
Paul ‘Boy Green’ Esden:
"Jim Boeheim is a stubborn old bastard and he is very often stuck in his ways. Much of that makes sense, he’s a Hall of Fame coach who has been doing this for 44 years, so he’s earned some respect over the years. The weird thing to me is why didn’t he adapt in the Virginia game? He actually changed his starting lineup in game one. Previously throughout the offseason, he had a lineup that featured Carey, Boeheim, Hughes, Quincy Guerrier, and Bourama Sidibe. Then in the regular-season opener, he inexplicably went with Marek Dolezaj. Okay, you can make an argument why that change makes sense vs a tough Virginia team, but when Dolezaj was in the midst of the worst game of his Orange career, Jim Boeheim didn’t adapt. Marek played all 40 minutes and cost Syracuse big-time. Guerrier may get some run back in the starting lineup as soon as Colgate in game two. Also, a part of this question that didn’t make it to air was regarding the point guard situation. I think Jalen is going to get a few games to figure it out, if by game three there are still issues, Boeheim will make a change."
Neil Adler:
"Well, head coach Jim Boeheim actually already made one, as he inserted junior forward Marek Dolezaj into the line-up versus Virginia in the regular-season opener, after having freshman forward Quincy Guerrier as a starter during the exhibition portion of the schedule. Whether it’s at the forward slot, point guard, or somewhere else, I would assume that Boeheim will wait at least a few more games to see how things transpire before making additional starting line-up switches. Boeheim has a really deep roster in 2019-20, and I’m fascinated to see how his rotations play out as this term progresses."