My man is a head coach now!
Following two decades at Syracuse as both a star player and assistant coach — eventually elevating to the Orange‘s associate head coach — Gerry McNamara has agreed on a contract to become the next head coach of the Siena men’s basketball program. (RELATED: ‘It’s Annoying’: UNC’s Armando Bacot Says Angry Sports Gamblers Send Him Boatload Of Messages)
Siena made the announcement of McNamara’s hiring Friday, making him a college basketball head coach for the first time in his career. McNamara comes into Siena to replace Carmen Maciariello, nixed after putting up a 68-72 record in five years at the helm — this season, they went a dismal 4-28.
Since 2009, McNamara has been listed on the Syracuse coaching staff. He started off as a graduate assistant and then spent over a decade as an assistant coach under the legendary Jim Boeheim. When Adrian Autry became the Orange head coach last season, McNamara was promoted to associate head coach.
🏀 We’re excited to announce Gerry McNamara as the 1⃣9⃣th head coach in @SienaMBB history
Welcome @Coach_McNamara!
📰 https://t.co/NEktKknrja#MarchOn x #SienaSaints pic.twitter.com/W87mLyCI2Y
— Siena Saints (@SienaSaints) March 29, 2024
If you don’t remember, McNamara was an absolute stud at Syracuse, currently the fourth-leading scorer in the history of Orange basketball — only Lawrence Moten, Derrick Coleman and John Wallace come above him.
McNamara was also a member of Syracuse‘s 2003 national championship team where he was teammates with Carmelo Anthony. In the NCAA March Madness title game, where the Orange won 81-78, McNamara had 18 points, all of them coming from behind the three-point line.
Roll the highlights:
Such a dope hire by Siena. Dope, dope hire.