Syracuse men’s basketball: New numbers deserve a better backstory

A couple of weeks ago we told you about new NCAA rules regarding uniform numbers and speculated on some creative ways Syracuse Orange players could embrace the changes.

And then they flipped it like this....

So no one wants to go with 88 next season? Cool cool....well that means we had to dig in deeper to find the real reason for these number selections because a story that Syracuse didn’t order anything about a 5 would be sad.

So Chris Bell switches from 0 to 4 so Kansas transfer Kyle Cuffe, Jr. gets 0. Maybe Cuffe was able to procure the number by offering Bell his choice of a gift card to either OIP or Wings Over Syracuse? Bell agrees and grabs 4 because Final Four is where this team wants to go in 2024....and we all know what happens when you put two 4s together.

JJ Starling takes #2 because he wants to remind himself that there’s always room for improvement and because he’s looking for a NIL deal with the Ticonderoga pencil company.

Chance Westry picks #11. Chance is from Pennsylvania. Scoop Jardine is from Pennsylvania. Tyler Ennis made his most famous shot in Pennsylvania.

Naheem McLeod takes #10 so that after each blocked shot, Otto’s Army can do a Ten Count.

Now you’re saying, well why did William Patterson take #21? One word.....Dolezaj!