Revisiting Gerry McNamara's playing career at Syracuse: What to know about 2003 national title team as a player

Syracuse has been missing from the NCAA Tournament far longer than fans in upstate New York would like, but the Orange had one representative in 2026: Siena coach Gerry McNamara.

While McNamara isn't in orange and blue any longer, he left unforgettable memories for Syracuse fans when he helped lead the Orange to a national championship alongside Carmelo Anthony in 2003.

McNamara is now aiming to turn Siena into one of the northeast's top mid-majors, and a run to the NCAA Tournament is a major step toward that goal.

Here's a look at McNamara's playing career at Syracuse and the 2003 championship team. 

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Where did Gerry McNamara go to college?

Born and raised in Scranton, Pennsylvania, McNamara spent his playing days at Syracuse from 2002-06.

After briefly playing professionally overseas, McNamara returned to upstate New York in a coaching role. He spent two seasons as a graduate assistant under Jim Boeheim before becoming a full-time assistant in 2011 and remaining in that role until he was bumped to associate head coach following Boeheim's retirement in 2023.

McNamara's hiring at Siena in 2024 marked his first association with a university other than Syracuse. 

Gerry McNamara playing career

McNamara didn't miss a start in four seasons at Syracuse, averaging more than 13 points per game each year and helping lead the Orange to a national championship as a freshman in 2003.

McNamara certainly wasn't the only standout freshman on the 2003 team, as Carmelo Anthony averaged 22.2 points per game and earned Second-Team All-American honors, but he assumed his role as Syracuse's point guard and shot 35.7 percent from 3-point range at a time when the 3-point shot wasn't nearly as prolific as it is today.

In the national championship game against Kansas, McNamara scored 18 points entirely on 3s, shooting 6-of-10 from beyond the arc to take down Kansas. All six of his made 3-pointers came in the first half.

After his freshman season, McNamara became even more of a focal point offensively. He averaged a career-high 17.2 points per game as a sophomore in 2003-04, drilling 38.9 percent of 3s, though efficiency was an issue at times over his final two seasons in Orange. Syracuse failed to advance past the first round of the NCAA Tournament in each of McNamara's final two seasons.

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Gerry McNamara college stats

McNamara posted career-highs in points, assists and efficiency as a sophomore in 2003-04, after helping the Orange win a national championship in 2003. His efficiency suffered a bit in his final two seasons, and Syracuse lost in the NCAA Tournament to a double-digit seed in both 2005 and 2006. 

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Will Syracuse hire Gerry McNamara?

After Adrian Autry earned the promotion to head coach upon Boeheim's retirement in 2023, some wondered whether McNamara should have been given the nod. In hindsight, Syracuse might wish it had promoted McNamara. Autry was fired after three seasons as head coach of the Orange, a stint that included no NCAA Tournament appearances.

McNamara, meanwhile, oversaw a 10-win improvement at Siena in his first season and a nine-win improvement in year two. With Syracuse searching for a head coach and South Florida's Bryan Hodgson reportedly turning down the job, McNamara could be next on the school's list.

Speaking before Siena's NCAA Tournament matchup with Duke, McNamara said he understood why his name was connected to Syracuse. "I think with what we did, with the job obviously being open, it was inevitable, with my history there, just coming from there," he told reporters while adding that his full focus was on Siena at the moment.