Syracuse Basketball: Melo isn't happy and Eric Devendorf gets candid about 'Cuse

Syracuse basketball legend Carmelo Anthony, who helped the team win its only national championship in 2003, is among many former players who are frustrated with the current state of the 'Cuse.

Of course, when Melo voices his displeasure, it's a big deal, given who he is, what he's done for the Orange, and also that his son, Kiyan Anthony, is a freshman guard with Syracuse basketball. When SU was in the midst of losing at No. 14 North Carolina on Monday night, Anthony commented on the Orange's Instagram account, "SMFH."

I assume you all know what "SMFH" means. It means shaking my head, with another choice word included. Ouch. Naturally, Anthony's comment went viral and made national news.

This is where the 'Cuse resides. Not good. Sure, Syracuse basketball fought back from a 32-point, second-half deficit at UNC and ultimately lost, 87-77. That was the Orange's fifth setback over its past six games. At 13-10 overall and 4-6 in Atlantic Coast Conference competition, the team's 2025-26 season is toast, unless it wins the ACC Tournament.

I love head coach Adrian Autry and respect him, but he's going to be gone. That, I assume, will also hold true for the rest of the staff, and while I respect those assistants, too, it's time to clean house and start fresh. You all know I'm a positive, upbeat SU alum, but enough is enough.

On Tuesday, former Syracuse basketball standout Elijah Hughes wrote on X, "I hate that Syracuse fans think ALL of our problems are from coaching." I agree with Hughes. Not everything is on the coaches. But most of it is. Sigh.

Former Syracuse basketball star Eric Devendorf weighs in on SU.

Also on Tuesday, Devendorf told The Orange Zone podcast that in his opinion, "there's going to be a change made at the end of the year" when it comes to the 'Cuse coaching staff. Devendorf bleeds Orange, he's an analyst for the ACC Network/ESPN, and he's also not afraid to call it like he sees it.

Another former Syracuse basketball standout, Etan Thomas, took to X as well. His thoughts echo those of pretty much everyone in the fan base. Pure and utter frustration about where the Orange is.

Even national commentators and journalists are weighing in on how rough things are these days for the Orange, which is No. 7 all-time in career wins in college basketball but hasn't made the NCAA Tournament since 2021 and has been relatively irrelevant in the Atlantic Coast Conference since moving there from the Big East Conference in 2013-14.