Two of my favorite Syracuse basketball legends ever are joining the growing trend of current or former players becoming general managers of high school programs to focus on talent attraction and retention, and name, image and likeness opportunities, among other things.
The latest news centers on shooting guard Lawrence Moten, who is the Orange's all-time leading scorer. According to a press release from last month, Moten has been named the general manager of basketball operations and youth development at the Digital Pioneers Academy, a public charter school in Washington, D.C., that was founded in 2018.
Before heading to the Hill, Moten was a standout at Archbishop Carroll High School in D.C. Rob Harris, the athletics director at Digital Pioneers Academy, is also an alumni of Archbishop Carroll.
In the 2024-25 campaign, the Digital Pioneers Academy's boys basketball team went 18-9 overall, according to MaxPreps, and was ranked No. 19 in our nation's capital. In Public Charter School Athletic Association ("PCSAA") A league play, the squad went an impressive 15-1.
Another Syracuse basketball icon has taken on a high school GM role.
Earlier this spring, word broke that Carmelo Anthony, the legendary forward who helped guide the 'Cuse to its only national championship in 2003, was named the co-general manager of basketball operations at the Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va.
Before joining Syracuse basketball, Anthony spent his senior year at Oak Hill, and he was sensational there. The Warriors were ranked in the top five around the country, while Anthony scored first-team All-America honors.
BREAKING NEWS 🚨: @carmeloanthony the NBA Hall of Famer is back at Oak Hill as Co-General Manager of Basketball Operations alongside Bay Frazier. In their first major move, they have named John Zito the new Head Gold Team Coach of Oak Hill Basketball. @SCNext @LeagueRDY @espn pic.twitter.com/m9HzywoBqV
— OakHillAcademy (@oakhillacademy) April 21, 2025
Oak Hill currently competes in the nation's top high school hoops conference, the loaded Nike Elite Youth Basketball League Scholastic ("EYBL Scholastic").
Over the years, numerous Oak Hill players have gone on to suit up for Syracuse basketball, including Anthony, point guard Billy Edelin, forward Dayshawn Wright, guard Eric Devendorf, center Baye Moussa Keita and, most recently, point guard Judah Mintz.
As I discussed in a column from this past February, Anthony will serve as a studio analyst when NBC begins broadcasting NBA games next season. His son is Kiyan Anthony, the 2025 four-star shooting guard from New York City who is part of the Orange's strong incoming freshman class.
A few days ago, the younger Anthony was among numerous 2025-26 Syracuse basketball players to arrive on the Hill for summer workouts.