Gerry McNamara said on Tuesday what I've been opining over the past week or so.
While some Orange fans are lamenting that the Syracuse basketball 2026-27 roster doesn't contain big names, McNamara says he's constructing his roster for the upcoming season to win games "at all costs."
Oh, and GMac says he's not trying to please the outside, and that includes the Twitter universe. A lot of so-called experts on social media sure have had a lot to say about SU's 2026-27 roster construction efforts, and that's totally fine. Everyone is entitled to his or her opinion.
However, McNamara is recruiting guys to fit his culture, the same as he did for two seasons at Siena. He wants guys "who will fight for the product," McNamara said to CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein in a podcast interview that aired on Tuesday.
Gerry McNamara goes into further detail on his roster for next season.
On several occasions since being hired by his alma mater last month, McNamara has said that he wants players who are gritty and tough. Guys who get after it defensively and on the glass, and who are efficient on offense. Players who are unselfish teammates and just want to win.
McNamara has recruited 2026-27 players who are athletic and boast good length, positional size and versatility. He says it will be a multi-year build on the Hill, but he expects to be competitive in his first season as the Orange's head coach.
Let's also keep in mind that in the span of a few weeks, SU's coaches have assembled a 2026 transfer class that hovers around the top 30 nationally. Plus, virtually all the team's commits - at both the prep level and through the portal - are rated four stars by at least one recruiting service.
Ultimately, McNamara says he likes his roster for the next term. His guards and wings are versatile and can play - and defend - multiple positions. He has talented, skilled players in the backcourt and complementary pieces at the forward and center spots (I noted this in a separate article on Tuesday morning).
During his chat with Rothstein, McNamara discussed playing for the legendary Hall of Famer Jim Boeheim (they won a national title together in 2003), and then serving as an assistant under Boeheim. As much as anything else, McNamara said he learned from Boeheim how to be consistent and how to win at all costs. He said that latter phrase several times.
To McNamara, it's extremely important that when his players put on the Syracuse basketball jersey, they remember all the guys who came before them. It's critical to McNamara that he, his staff and his players are well-prepared, play as a cohesive unit, show each other respect - all those things add up to the culture that GMac instilled at Siena and will now build at the 'Cuse.
With this 2026-27 roster, McNamara thinks that Syracuse basketball can be competitive right away, and he's laser-focused on putting together a team that the Orange fan base, SU alums and everyone else who follows the program will be proud of when all is said and done.
Except, maybe, the Syracuse basketball "experts" on social media.
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