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The ACC announced the 2016 Basketball Legends Class today and Derrick Coleman has been selected as this year's Syracuse Orange honoree. You're thinking to yourself, "Wait, wasn't he Syracuse's selection last year?". You are correct, but due to the post-season ban taken by Syracuse, it was decided that DC would postpone the honor. It also means that Coleman is the 1st person in ACC history to be selected for the Legends honor in back-to-back seasons. (Can't argue with facts folks)
From the ACC release, here's a look at some of DC's Syracuse accomplishments:
Derrick Coleman, Syracuse (1986-90) – One of the most prolific rebounders in college basketball history, Coleman accumulated 2,143 points and pulled down 1,537 rebounds in his four seasons with the Orange. He made an immediate impact as a freshman, averaging 11.9 points and 8.8 rebounds for head coach Jim Boeheim’s squad, which won 31 games and advanced to the NCAA finals. Coleman’s 14 rebounds in the East Regional championship game against second-ranked North Carolina keyed a 79-75 upset win that secured Boeheim’s first Final Four bid. The 6-foot-10 Coleman was named the Big East Player of the Year in 1990, and Syracuse teams averaged 28.3 wins a season during his four years at the school. The Mobile, Alabama, native stands as the all-time leading rebounder and the second-leading scorer in Syracuse history. The No. 1 overall draft pick by the New Jersey Nets in 1990, Coleman played 15 seasons in the NBA, averaging 16.5 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. He was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in 1991 and was an NBA All-Star in 1994. The Orange retired Coleman’s jersey number (44) in March of 2006.
Nice job by the ACC PR folks to troll the Carolina faithful with the special note on DC's monster game in the win over UNC in the 1987 Tournament. Coleman will be honored at this year's ACC Tournament at the Verizon Center in Washington DC, which is fitting since it is the home of the Georgetown Hoyas and reminds us of those great Syracuse-Georgetown battles during DC's time at SU.