Syracuse Basketball: Ranking best Orange transfers from the last decade

Elijah Hughes

Lastly, Syracuse’s most recent success story from the portal is Elijah Hughes. Not only was he an excellent addition to the squad, but he became a leader and the team’s top player in his second year.

Hughes began his career at East Carolina. He showed glimpses of his scoring abilities but struggled to see the floor and only started in seven games.

Elijah Hughes East Carolina stats:

• 7.8 points per game
• 2.3 rebounds per game
• 1.3 assists per game
• 27% from three

In his first season, he was not nearly the scorer he is today, but he embodies someone that worked his way up to become a better player. Hughes needed to sit out 2017-18 but was a welcomed addition the next season.

Right away, he was thrown into the starting lineup but wasn’t forced to be the only option. Tyus Battle and Oshae Brissett were both returning players that led the team in many categories the previous season and continued too with Hughes’s arrival.

But Hughes did open up the floor and allow for more overall scoring. He finished behind Battle for scoring in his first year at ‘Cuse. The next season Battle and Brissett both departed, and it was all up to Elijah Hughes. He performed excellently this season and even exceeded expectations. His play warranted some post-season accolades as well. He was part of the All-ACC first-team and led the conference in points per game.

Elijah Hughes 2019-20 stats:

• 19 points per game
• 4.9 rebounds per game
• 3.4 assists per game
• 34% from three

With more responsibility, Hughes blossomed into one of the best players in the conference. Following his record year, he decided to enter the draft process and hopes to hear his name called in the NBA draft.