A top-20 all-time scorer in Syracuse basketball history, who also happens to be a big-time 'Cuse fan favorite, is joining the staff of first-year head coach Gerry McNamara.
Per SU Athletics, the Orange has named Tyus Battle as the team's director of player development under McNamara, who served as an assistant coach for the 'Cuse during Battle's playing days on the Hill.
A huge congrats and welcome home from Orange Nation to Tyus!
Love this so much. One of my all-time favorite Syracuse players. Congrats, @tyusbattle1! 🧡🍊 https://t.co/OE7uev7bMX pic.twitter.com/HnSolIIBv7
— InsideTheLoudHouse (@LoudHouseFS) June 11, 2026
In his new role with Syracuse men's basketball, per the press release from SU Athletics, the New Jersey native will, among other things, coordinate off-court initiatives to maximize players' potential, assist with individual and small-group workouts, and collaborate with the sports medicine and nutrition staffs to support the overall well-being of every Syracuse basketball athlete.
Battle is one of several former Orange players who have come on board McNamara's staff. They include Arinze Onuaku (assistant coach) and Ryan Blackwell (director of player engagement). Other SU alums who are on McNamara's staff for the upcoming 2026-27 season are Peter Corasaniti (associate athletics director of men's basketball and operations) and Ryan Beaury (director of operations).
Former Orange standout Tyus Battle has returned to Syracuse basketball as director of player development.
Battle came to the 'Cuse as a four-star, top-40 national prospect in the 2016 prep recruiting cycle. He played three seasons for the Orange, helping guide Syracuse basketball to a Sweet 16 run in 2018 and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament a year later, in 2019.
Over his SU tenure, Battle hit a bunch of clutch shots (hi, Clemson, Georgetown and Michigan State). After he departed Central New York, he tallied 1,647 career points, which is currently No. 18 on the program's all-time list.
When introducing @tyusbattle1 to the team at practice this week, @Coach_McNamara cited a specific Tyus Battle bucket as one of his favorite moments. Any guesses which one, Orange Nation? https://t.co/mZmt5G39Fr
— Sean Dorcellus (@SeanDorcellus) June 10, 2026
As a sophomore in the 2017-18 season, Battle averaged 19.2 points per game and was on the All-ACC second team. In his junior campaign, 2018-19, Battle led SU in scoring for a second straight stanza, this time averaging 17.2 points per contest and residing on the All-ACC third squad.
With the 'Cuse, Battle, much like McNamara, was a workhorse. Battle's career average minutes played per game, at 34.9, trails only McNamara and the legendary big man Billy Owens. Battle would go on to play overseas in countries such as Russia, Italy, Israel, France and China.
After his pro playing days culminated, Battle got into coaching, first as an assistant coach at New York City's Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School, in 2024. He has also served as an assistant coach at The Pennington School in Pennington, N.J., and with the Philadelphia-based Team Final on Nike's EYBL circuit, an AAU program that the Orange has extensively recruited over the years.
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