Gerry McNamara knows Syracuse Basketball from every angle, but Thursday night brought a version of the job that did not exist when he was a freshman point guard helping deliver the Orange’s first national title in 2003.
Back then, time away from the gym meant something as simple as wandering the mall. On Thursday, McNamara was back inside Destiny USA, more than two decades removed from cutting down the nets in New Orleans and now speaking as Syracuse’s head coach at a public meet-and-greet hosted by Apex Entertainment. He spent about an hour signing jerseys and basketballs, taking photos and laying out exactly what he believes the program needs.
“This mall, I thought it was big back then - it's even bigger now,” McNamara said Thursday night inside Destiny USA. “Us having fun back in the day was going to the movies here, coming into Foot Locker to see what new shoes we'd wear in game.
But being back has been great. It's been everything I expected.”
The appearance lined up with Apex Entertainment announcing local Name, Image and Likeness partnerships with Syracuse sophomore forward Sadiq White Jr. and women’s basketball guard Olivia Schmitt. McNamara said moments like that matter because they help build more than just player visibility.
“These events are huge for Sadiq and the entire team,” McNamara said. “They build everything for a team, chemistry and off the court.”
McNamara was just as direct when asked about White’s future. He didn’t dress it up.
“Just watch his tape, you can see his ability,” McNamara said. “He can be an all-world player, and I'm looking forward to seeing him take on a bigger role. This is great for him to build his brand off the court.”
That off-court piece is now part of the job description in a way it wasn’t in McNamara’s playing days, and he made clear that he still wants a hand in it. While plenty of programs have shifted roster and business management to athletic departments and administrators, McNamara said he remains involved with Syracuse’s NIL work and continues to collaborate closely with general manager Greg Fahey.
“GM, therapist... you name it, I've got multiple hats,” McNamara said. “Greg thinks a lot differently than I do from a business standpoint... but I still do get involved with the NIL piece. I think a lot of programs are just turning it over to the GM, I don't.”
That willingness to lean into the modern side of college basketball also shaped the advice he gave to the young players in the room, including hoopers from the local Bryant & Stratton program. McNamara drew from his own experience in NBA pre-draft workouts and international basketball, and he didn’t sugarcoat what comes next after college.
“Once you go the professional route, it is a business and it's cutthroat,” McNamara cautioned. “This is probably the last time in your basketball career that anyone really cares... [in the pros] it's only business.
The best advice I was given when I went through the NBA draft process was: 'Don't let the process defeat you.' You have to love the game.
If you truly love it, you can stay on it.”
Even with all that talk about branding, relationships and the realities of pro basketball, McNamara brought the conversation back to the floor and the details that decide games. He pointed to Syracuse’s film from its exhibition game against UConn, where defenders slipped underneath screens and allowed two made 3-pointers. His message was plain: when the staff gives an instruction, the team has to execute it.
The bigger mission, though, was impossible to miss. McNamara spoke about the urgency of getting Syracuse back to national relevance and bringing trophies back to the Dome, and he framed that chase around work and togetherness.
“You have to beat the 99.9% by putting in the hard effort and being a team,” McNamara said. “No one is bigger than the brand.
It's not my motto that I live by, but it's a great message to make sure we don't put anyone ahead of the team. We win together.”
For McNamara, the blueprint is clear: handle the business off the court, demand the right execution on it, and build everything around the group.
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For Syracuse, the path to staying competitive may start with the defense, which will be tasked with slowing one of the ACCs more explosive attacks and giving the offense a chance to find its footing. The game is set for the ACC Network, with Jorge Sedano, Rodney McLeod and Annabelle Hasselbeck on the call, but the bigger question for the Orange remains whether they can finally find enough stability to keep pace. [Read more 🡒]