Lawrence Moten, the smooth-scoring guard who became Syracuse’s all-time leading scorer and left an indelible mark on college basketball in the 1990s, died Tuesday, Syracuse athletics confirmed.
He was 53 years old. No cause of death was given. Moten’s daughter, Lawrencia, told Syracuse.com that Moten died at his home in Washington, D.C.
Nicknamed “Poetry in Moten”, Moten was the face of Orange basketball from 1991 to 1995, compiling 2,334 points for a program record that still stands, and leaving as the Big East’s leading scorer, a record that stood until 2020. In 2018, the Orange retired his No. 21 jersey.
“This is a tragic day for the Syracuse basketball family,” former Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim said in a statement. “Lawrence’s passing is such a sudden thing — it’s very hard to take. He was one of the most underrated college basketball players of all time. I believe some people took his ability for granted because he made it look so easy. Lawrence was one of our greatest players and one of the best in the history of the Big East Conference.”
A Washington, D.C. native, Moten averaged 19.3 points and 4.9 rebounds over his collegiate career and scored in double figures in 118 of his 121 games. He was a three-time first-team All-Big East selection and 1992 Big East Rookie of the Year.
Playing alongside current Syracuse coach Adrian Autry, as well SU’s third all-time leading scorer John Wallace, Moten became one of the most consistent players in Big East history, averaging at least 17.9 points per game in each of his four seasons. Moten helped pilot the Orange to a 1992 Big East tournament championship and three NCAA Tournament appearances, including a regional semifinal appearance in 1994.
Moten’s sophomore season coincided with the NCAA banning Syracuse from the postseason, a penalty that ended the program’s 10-year tournament streak. He opted to remain with the team, a decision that helped stabilize the roster and keep the Orange competitive.
“For me, Lawrence was not only a teammate, but a friend,” Autry said in a statement. “I can’t think of anybody that was more positive or who loved Syracuse more than he did. Obviously, his basketball — he was one of the greatest to put on the uniform. It’s a big loss. I was able to play alongside him for three years and watch him do some amazing things. I was fortunate to spend time with him on and off the court. I feel for his family, including his beautiful daughters. Lawrence was a positive light in this world. He was one of a kind. I’m going to miss him.”
The Vancouver Grizzlies selected Moten in the second round of the 1995 NBA Draft. He played for the Grizzlies for two years before joining the Washington Wizards for eight games in the 1997-98 season. Though his NBA career ended there, Moten continued to play in the Continental Basketball Association, American Basketball Association and overseas.
After Moten’s playing days, he remained close to the sport through coaching and front-office roles — first serving as vice president of player development for the Maryland Nighthawks, a team in the now-defunct ABA, before assuming a head-coaching role with the Rochester Razorsharks of the Premier Basketball League. He later spent time as an assistant coach at Gallaudet University, working with deaf and hard-of-hearing athletes in Washington, D.C.
In early June, Moten was named general manager of boys and girls basketball at Digital Pioneers Academy in Washington, D.C., a charter school in his hometown.
(Photo: Manny Millan / Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
