Names Revisited

Back in 2006, I commented on the fact that in the storied history of Syracuse basketball, Mike Jones became the first Orange basketball player by the name of Jones.  Well, in the 2008-09 season, Mookie Jones became the second Jones to join the team.  Mookie would never be a regular, but he was a good shooter who struggled on defense. Mike Jones had opened the floodgates, because in  the 2012-13 season, walk-on Noel Jones joined the squad.

Other common and familiar names joined the team since that time, spanning from 2007 to 2015.

The third Jackson joined Syracuse in 2007-08 when Rick Jackson was a freshman.  Rick followed Luke Jackson (1992-95) and William Jackson (1933).  Two more and we get a Jackson Five.

Two Williams also joined the team in 2007-08, with Sean Williams and Mike Williams (walking on from the football team).    That brings the number of Williams to seven:  Sean & Mike, DeShaun (2000-02), Eric (1998-99), Jeffery (1959), Jimmy (1974-1977), and John (1945-46). Jimmy ‘Bug’ Williams was the best of the bunch, by far, a flashy point guard for Roy Danforth and a young Jim Boeheim.

In 2009-10, a second Triche joined the team when Brandon followed in the footsteps of his uncle Howard.  Wesley Johnson also joined the team that year, bringing the Johnsons up to three:  Wesley, Dave (1989-92), and Derrick (1995).  In in 2013-14, B.J. would be the fourth Johnson. 

In 2012-13, we got our second Coleman with big DaJuan joining Derrick (1987-90), and our second Grant with Jerami joining John (1935-36). 

In that time span we went from having no Mister Josephs, to having two of them, both with the initials K.J.:  Kris Joseph (2009-12) and Kaleb (2015-current). 

We did have our share of unusual names:  Matt Lyde-Cajuste, Matt Tomaszewski, Rakeem Christmas, Michael Gbinije, Baye Keita, Chino Obakuh, and Doyan Akintobi-Adeyeye to name a few.  And a group of Irish sounding names:  Cooney (Trevor), Riley (DaShonte), Reese (Brandon), and McCullough (Chris).