Each week over the summer, The Juice Online will be counting down the top 15 players in Syracuse basketball history. Billy Owens is No. 4 on our list.
WHY HE’S NO. 4: Owens was one of the most prolific forwards in Syracuse history, as he scored 1,840 points in a three year career, which still ranks 12th in career scoring at SU. In his junior season (1990-91), he averaged 23.3 points per game as the Orangemen earned a No. 2 seed heading into the NCAA tournament. But in his last game, Owens and the Orangemen lost to Richmond that year, becoming the first second-seeded team in NCAA history to lose to a No. 15 seed. Still, Owens was one of SU’s greatest players, and in 2008, he had his No. 30 retired.
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» Rony Seikaly is No. 5 on our list of the top 15 players of all time
AFTER SYRACUSE: Owens was the third pick in the 1991 NBA Draft and was traded from the Sacramento Kings to the Golden State Warriors for shooting guard Mitch Richmond. It turned into one of the most lopsided trades in NBA history as Owens never fulfilled his potential. He went through seven NBA teams in 10 seasons and retired after 2001, finishing with career averages of 11.7 points and 6.7 rebounds a game. Sports Illustrated ranked him as the 13th biggest NBA draft bust.
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