A historical look at Syracuse basketball and the Basketball Hall of Fame

Syracuse University basketball will embark on its 126th season this November. It is certainly as crucial a season in the post-Jim Boeheim era as any, the time being now for Adrian Autry to steer the program back to the NCAA Tournament, or ponder what is next.

In the interim, there will be a celebration for Syracuse basketball on September 6, when Anthony joins Boeheim, Dave Bing, and Vic Hanson as a Hall of Fame member, with his SU coach and fellow all-time great 'Cuse player (acknowledging the difference in eras) to be in attendance.

Syracuse basketball's Hall of Fame history stretches back 100 years

From Hanson playing three sports between 1924-26, to Anthony triumphantly leaving campus in 2003 as a national champion. To Bing and Boeheim dazzling on the 1966 SU team that missed the Final Four by one game, then going on to legendary professional careers, Syracuse can certainly be proud of its Hall members.

Here is a look back at each Syracuse Hall of Famer and the year they were enshrined:

Vic Hanson - 1960

Vic Hanson is the answer to the trivia question: Who is the only player in sports history to be inducted into both the College Football and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Halls of Fame?

How is that for starters? Hanson obviously exceled in football and also baseball on The Hill, earning three varsity letters in each sport, but playing basketball put him in Springfield. Syracuse was 48-7 in his three seasons, and the 1925-26 team that won 19 of its 20 games was named the Helms Foundation national champions.

Dave Bing - 1990

We all know Bing's arrival at Syracuse helped turn around one of the most moribund programs in the nation in the early 1960s, resulting in a near Final Four in 1966. He went on to be the second overall pick in the NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons (only Derrick Coleman in 1990 went higher in school history as the top overall selection by the New Jersey Nets).

Bing's official Hall of Fame bio says it all:

"Dave Bing was all business when he stepped onto the basketball court, one of those rare talents that played the game for all of the right reasons paying no mind to the spotlight or excesses of his celebrity. His ability as a playmaker, his scoring aptitude, and his soft outside shooting touch made him a backcourt whiz and a great leader, the kind of player every coach wants in the locker room."

Wow, I hope Coach Red and the staff always make sure to include the legacy of Dave Bing on their recruiting travels for future Orange greats.

Jim Boeheim - 2005

If not for Keith Smart's shot in 1987, Jim Boeheim would have been in the Hall of Fame in the 1990s. Once a coach of his status with numerous Final Four appearances and his industry celebrity for his 2-3 zone defense, wins a national title, it becomes when, not if.

We were there in Springfield on September 9, 2005 when Boeheim dapper in his attire, was introduced by Bing, which is Hall of Fame custom to be introduced by a member.

When we think of Boeheim's 1,015 victories, second only in Div. I to Mike Krzyzewski, we always remember in 1993 at Big East media day in New York, the coach telling us that Adolph Rupp's 876 victories looked insurmountable. Well, Boeheim hit 800 wins in 2009, and just kept going with 215 more and getting to coach his sons Buddy and Jimmy.

Carmelo Anthony - 2025

Finishing as the ninth-leading career scorer in NBA history when his playing career ended in 2022, we have always lamented that Anthony did not have a chance to win a title, joining the eight players who have won the "Basketball Trifecta" of NCAA and NBA championships, and an Olympic gold medal.

With great high school players like Anthony either staying just one to two years in college or jumping to the pros directly, the NCAA title part of that "Trifecta" is difficult, but Anthony had all the right pieces around him to help guide Boeheim to that elusive gold trophy and vindication for Smart's shot in the same New Orleans Superdome.

As to whom Anthony will have present him, he has requested three fellow greats, Michael Jordan, Allen Iverson, and Dwayne Wade (fellow 2003 Final Four participant) to be involved in some capacity. He has cited the significant impact the trio has made on his career and life both on and off the court.

SUPPORT THE JUICE ONLINE

Follow us on Twitter @TheJuiceOnline, like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram @SUJuiceOnline and listen to our podcast.