The Syracuse men's basketball team is already seeing some changes under new head coach Gerry McNamara. Freshman wing Aaron Womack has decided to enter the transfer portal, marking the first player movement in McNamara's tenure.
Womack, who joined Syracuse as an under-the-radar recruit in the 2025 class, spent his first year redshirting. Despite flying under the radar, he brought a strong work ethic to the team.
"I’m just a worker," Womack shared during Syracuse media day in October. "I come in the gym every day and I can shoot.
I can defend, do whatever the team needs me to do to win. So whatever coach asks me to do I always do it."
Former head coach Adrian Autry had high praise for Womack, calling him "super talented" after a victory over Drexel in November. The decision to redshirt was made to best support his development.
Originally from Milwaukee, Womack was recruited by Autry and his team, including general manager Alex Kline and lead recruiter Allen Griffin. Standing at 6-foot-6, Womack was a three-star recruit who initially received mid-major offers before Syracuse came calling. He committed right after his visit in September 2024.
In high school, Womack made a name for himself by surpassing former Maryland and Los Angeles Clippers player Diamond Stone as the all-time leading scorer at Dominican High School, amassing over 2,200 points. He averaged an impressive 28.8 points per game during his senior year and played for the Wisconsin Playground Club on the Under Armour circuit.
A recent meeting with Coach McNamara reportedly solidified Womack's decision to transfer, as reported by Syracuse.com.
Looking ahead, Syracuse still has a solid lineup with eight potential returners, possibly nine if Calvin Russell is included, and ten with both Russell and Noah Lobdell. There's also a chance Nate Kingz could return with a Pavia waiver. As the offseason progresses, it will be interesting to see how McNamara and his staff shape the roster, both through retention and new additions.