Courtesy of Eurobasket LLC Every week we bring you a list of the top former Orangemen players who continue their career in pro basketball.
#1. Jaquan Carlos, a 6'0'' point guard, aged 23, who graduated from Syracuse in 2025 and currently plays professionally in Poland, was unable to lead Lodz to victory in their recent game last Saturday. Despite his exceptional performance, Lodz, with a record of 21-11, suffered a defeat of 81-74 at home against the top team, Enea Astoria. Carlos showcased his skills by being the top scorer of the game, contributing 35 points and grabbing 7 rebounds during his 32 minutes on the court. In a previous matchup against Bydgoszcz, he delivered another stellar performance, scoring 35 points, securing 7 rebounds, and providing 2 assists. Unfortunately, despite his remarkable efforts, his team was unable to secure the win. Throughout the season, Carlos has consistently displayed outstanding individual performance, boasting impressive averages of 16.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. His contributions on the court have been pivotal for Lodz as they strive to compete against tough opponents and push towards success in the league.
#2. Chris McCullough, a 31-year-old former Orangemen alum from 2015 and standing at 6'10'', showcased his skills in his debut game for Talk N Text Tropang Giga in the Philippines. Despite his impressive performance, where he scored 24 points, secured 9 rebounds, and blocked 3 shots in 37 minutes, his team fell short against the Meralco Bolts, losing 101-90 on the road. McCullough, a dual citizen of the United States and the Philippines, displayed his versatility as a player, contributing significantly to his team's efforts. Despite the defeat, McCullough's presence on the court was impactful, highlighting his potential to be a key player for Talk N Text Tropang Giga in future games.
#3. Malachi Richardson, a 6'6'' guard who graduated from Syracuse in 2016 and received the NCAA All-Tournament Midwest Region MVP award that year, currently plays professionally in the Dominican Republic. In a recent matchup, he was a standout performer for Reales de La Vega as they secured a crucial victory against league leaders Indios. Richardson's impressive performance included scoring 23 points and providing 3 assists in 37 minutes of play. The game between Reales and Indios was highly anticipated as both teams are among the top 4 in the league standings. Richardson's stellar contributions on the court not only helped his team secure a significant win but also showcased his capabilities as a champion player. Reales de La Vega, currently placed fourth in the league, is gearing up for the remaining two games of the Regular Season, with each match holding critical importance. Throughout the season, Richardson has maintained impressive individual statistics, boasting averages of 19.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. His consistent performance and leadership qualities continue to highlight his status as a finalist in the league.
#4. Joseph Girard III, a 6'1'' guard and 25-year-old Tigers alumnus from 2024, previously played for Syracuse University between 2019 and 2023 before moving on to play professionally in Turkey. In a recent game, Girard III's team, Trabzonspor, faced off against Bahcesehir in the Turkish ING Basketbol Super Ligi. Despite Girard III's best efforts, Trabzonspor was unable to overcome Bahcesehir, with the final score being 91-65 in favor of Bahcesehir, who is ranked #3 in the league. During the game, Girard III managed to score 7 points, grab 3 rebounds, and dish out 2 assists in 18 minutes of play. His individual performance was commendable, showcasing his skills on the court. However, his contributions were not enough to secure a victory for Trabzonspor. Throughout the season, Girard III has been averaging 9.7 points per game, along with 1.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists. Despite the loss in this particular game, Girard III continues to be a key player for Trabzonspor as they strive for success in the Turkish league.
#5. Jimmy Boeheim, a towering 6'8'' forward who recently graduated from Syracuse University in 2022 and received the prestigious CoSIDA NCAA Division I Academic All-District 1 Team award, currently showcases his skills playing professionally in Portugal. In a recent game, although Boeheim's remarkable performance saw him as the second-highest scorer with 17 points and contributing 4 rebounds in 27 minutes, his team Oliveirense unfortunately suffered a crushing defeat of 86-61 against the formidable Benfica in Lisbon. Despite his impressive individual season performance, averaging an impressive 16.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2 assists per game, Boeheim's efforts were not enough to secure a victory for his team in their recent match against the league leaders.
#6. Dutch Jesse Edwards, a 26-year-old center standing at 6'11'' and an alum of the Mountaineers from 2024, previously played for Syracuse from 2019 to 2023. He received the All-ACC Third Team award during his time at Syracuse. Currently playing professionally in Spain, Edwards recently made a significant impact in a game where Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz emerged victorious against league leaders Real Madrid with a score of 88-83 in the Spanish Liga Endesa. Despite only playing for 6 minutes, Edwards contributed 2 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist, crucial to his team's success in defeating Real Madrid. His performance was pivotal in securing the win, solidifying his status as a champion in the match. Throughout the season, Edwards has been averaging 4.6 points per game and 3.5 rebounds per game.
#7. The experienced U.S. Virgin Islands champion, Rakeem Christmas, standing at 6'9'' and playing as a forward/center, is currently 34 years old. He graduated from Syracuse University in 2015 and was honored with the All-ACC Most Improved Player of the Year award in the same year. Christmas is currently showcasing his skills as a professional basketball player in Indonesia. In the recent game, Christmas, despite his remarkable performance, was unable to help Hangtuah (10-10) secure a victory against the second-ranked Satria Muda, who emerged as the finalist with a convincing 96-80 win in the derby match. Even though Christmas only played for 12 minutes, he managed to contribute significantly by scoring 10 points, grabbing 4 rebounds, and providing 3 assists. Throughout the season, Christmas has been delivering exceptional performances, reflected in his impressive statistics. He is currently averaging 17.7 points per game, 9.9 rebounds per game, 2.0 assists per game, and 1.6 blocks per game. Despite his individual success, Christmas continues to strive for team victories alongside his Hangtuah teammates.
#8. Benny Williams, a 6'10'' forward and 24-year-old Golden Knights alumni from 2025, previously played for Syracuse between 2021 and 2024 before starting his professional career in Australia. In a recent game, Williams was unable to lead the Hills Hornets to victory against the Mustangs, as his team suffered a tough loss by 18 points, with a final score of 102-84. Despite only playing 12 minutes, Williams managed to contribute 8 points to the team's score. In another game against Maitland M., Williams showcased a commendable performance by scoring 8 points and securing 3 rebounds. However, his efforts were not enough to secure a win for his team. Throughout the season, Williams has been averaging 2.2 points per game and 1.4 rebounds per game.
Other former Syracuse University players, who play in pro basketball:
Tyler Ennis (6'2''-PG-1994, played in 2013-14) plays for Hapoel Shlomo Tel-Aviv in Israeli Winner League
O'Shae Brissett (6'7''-SF-1998, played in 2017-19) plays for Maccabi Playtika Tel-Aviv in Israeli Winner League
Cole Swider (6'9''-PF-1999, played in 2021-22) plays for Anadolu Efes Istanbul in Turkish BSL
Jerami Grant (6'8''-F-1994, played in 2012-14) plays for Portland Trail Blazers in the NBA
Buddy Boeheim (6'6''-G-1999, played in 2018-22) plays for Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA
Elijah Hughes (6'6''-G/F-1998, played in 2017-17) plays for MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg in German BBL
Judah Mintz (6'3''-SG-2003, played in 2022-24) plays for Glint Manisa Basket in Turkish BSL
Rick Jackson (6'9''-F-1989, played in 2007-11) plays for Welcome in Uruguayan LUB
Jyare Davis (6'7''-F-2002, played in 2024-25) plays for Derby in Montenegrin Erste Liga
Lucas Taylor (6'5''-G, played in 2024-25) plays for KK Radnicki Gorazde in Bosnia and Herzegovina Division I
Marek Dolezaj (6'10''-F-1998, played in 2017-21) plays for Armann in Icelandic Subway League
Naheem McLeod (7'4''-C-2000, played in 2023-25) plays for Rahoveci in Kosovan Superliga
Donte Greene (6'11''-C-1988, played in 2007-08) played for Raleigh Firebirds in the TBL few monts ago
Wesley Johnson (6'7''-SF-1987, played in 2008-08) played for LA Riot in the Big3 last year
Howard Washington (6'3''-G-1998, played in 2017-20) played for Buffalo eXtreme in the ABA last year
Bourama Sidibe (6'10''-C-1997, played in 2017-22) played for ABC in Ivorian National 1 last year
Notice: The list above includes only some of alumni playing currently in pro basketball. Check complete list of Syracuse University basketball alumni.
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