Our list of the Top 100 SU athletes continues with a guy who gave Orange fans plenty of memories.
You can find the Fizz’s SU Top 100 list here. Make sure you keep checking in to see who made the list and where they are ranked!
Michael Carter-Williams made it to Syracuse in 2011, joining a stacked squad. In his freshman season, there were 5 guys who were NBA bound accompanying him on the roster. Though he didn’t play much in that first season in which the Orange made a Final Four run, he was essentially handed the keys in his sophomore season.
In that second season, he showed he had NBA capabilities and showed why he deserved to be trusted as the next great player in the program. Though he didn’t stay to find out just how good he could have been, he was still incredible in that second year. He earned NCAA All-region honors, Big East Most Improved Player, and got a spot on the All-Big East team. Williams was truly an incredible player whether his stats showed it or not. He wasn’t an incredible scorer, rather a guy who could do it all. He averaged, 12 PPG, 7 RPG, 5 APG, and a staggering 3 SPG. He was a menace for opposing offenses due to his defensive prowess.
With the help of his talented teammates, C.J. Fair, Brandon Triche, James Southerland, Rakeem Christmas, and others, Carter-Williams helped push the Orange to a second consecutive Final Four appearance where they ran into a sharpshooting Michigan squad that took them out. Not the best way to end a career in Orange but not the worst either.
Carter-Williams definitely deserves this spot on the list, his talent level matched with his clutch ability is what allows him to remain fresh in our minds when thinking of SU basketball greats.
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